Love Vs Loyalty
by megan.schell
Summary: She's the beautiful loner. He's the Charismatic Enigma. Only problem is she's the only sister of the Brothers of Destruction. What happens when she must choose between her family and her heart? *Set in the attitude era.* *I only own Hazel Harper.*
1. Chapter 1

The lights blinded her as she stepped onto the stage with her brothers. The crowd boo-ed and cheered as the trio began their walk to the ring. Her eyes darted around the arena as she smiled at the cheering fans and waved. The lights and smoke filled the entrance ramp and the flashes of cameras were coming from all over. She began walking up the steps as her brother held the ropes apart for her with his foot. Once in the ring, she stood between them.

She felt like a child standing between two monsters. Being the sister of the Brothers of Destruction was intimidating to many of the fellow wrestlers and most people avoided contact with her for fear of Kane and the Undertaker.

She was slim, but muscular, with shoulder length golden brown hair with tons of natural curls. She stood only 5'8", which is tall for a woman but short in comparison to her towering brothers. Her green eyes sparkled with hints of gold flecks in the iris. She was the exact opposite in every way to her two brothers. She'd been a part of the WWF since she was a teenager at the side of her brothers and had been a part of the Ministry of Darkness. She'd grown up in front of the fans' eyes from an awkward teenager to a talented and beautiful woman. She had a small romantic fling with Edge during the Ministry days, however, her brothers didn't approve of the match and made the relationship impossible. Edge battled both Kane and Taker to prove himself worthy of her, but after months of attacks and battles, she decided to end the chance to protect Edge from any further injuries. The breakup tore her heart apart and she receeded into herself feeling that she'd never know love or happiness because of who she was. She'd spent her life doing what her brothers wanted and stayed with them despite their moral differences. The brothers were termed in the company as heels, whereas, she was a face.

She looked out into the crowd and smiled as the fans snapped pictures and cheered for them. Undertaker took the microphone and the arena waited with anxiety to hear what he was about to say. Kane stood to the side looking at the crowd as the Undertaker called out their opponents for the next PPV and the crowd was a mix of cheers and boos once more. She stood off to the side with Kane when suddenly, a song filled the arena and three figures emerged from the back. She turned and saw Matt and Jeff Hardy coming towards the ring, while Lita stayed on the ramp. The brothers slid into the ring and charged her brothers. She scrambled to get out of the ring, but before she could, Kane Irish-whipped Jeff into the turnbuckle where she was attempting to jump down from. The two collided and she tumbled to the mat outside the ring, holding her head with both of her hands. Jeff jumped from the ring to the mat and began kneeling next to her. "I'm sorry! Are you ok?" his southern accent spoke softly.

She looked up at him. It was the first time she had looked Jeff Hardy in the eyes. His green eyes sparkled in the light, his facial hair was cut with an intricate design, and his long blonde hair had blue, green, and purple streaks. She got lost in his eyes and forgot he'd asked her a question. She offered a small smile and nodded her head. He placed his arm on hers and helped her to her feet. She looked at him in a dreamy way, maybe the fall had given her a concussion. Suddenly, Kane rounded the side of the ring and big booted Jeff to the face. She'd forgotten that Matt Hardy and her brothers were involved in a fight until she saw Kane. He looked at her and smiled at Jeff's body laying on the mat, unmoving.

"Let's go" Taker called to them.

She paused for a moment looking at Jeff and Matt both laying on the ground. Lita was tending to Matt as she looked at them.

"Hazel!" Kane yelled as he grabbed her arm and led her away from the ring towards the ramp. Taker smiled as the approached him. The siblings walked to the back of the arena as the Hardys began to get back onto their feet. She hoped Jeff was ok. As they walked threw the hallway, people scurried away from them as they passed.

"Why is everyone afraid of you? They run away as soon as they see you." She said.

Taker laughed. "Because we're the Brothers of Destruction, and they all know not to cross us."

Kane laughed. "Hopefully those meddlesome Hardys will no longer be an issue."

Hazel thought about how Jeff had been concerned with her well-being after he hit her, obviously he wasn't a bad guy. She began thinking about his shimmering eyes and felt her cheeks redden. Her thoughts were interrupted by her brother's words.

"Hazel!" he screamed.

"Uh, yes?" she asked.

"What was Hardy doing with you?" Taker asked.

She looked at both of her brothers. "What do you mean? He knocked me down, and was checking on me and helped me stand up."

Kane laughed, "Then he ate my boot for his troubles."

Hazel rolled her eyes and began staring at her brothers in disbelief. She hated their meanness. Especially since Jeff was helping her when he was caught off guard by Kane. She sighed. "Can we go home yet?"

3 days later

Hazel stood outside in the parking lot with her sketch pad and supplies. She was drawing the city skyline from the arena. She'd done this in almost arena they ever had been to for a show. They traveled so much that she had quite and impressive collection of skyline drawings. She sat on the edge of the wall looking out into the city skyline with her ear buds blasting music while she sketched. She sighed as she took a drag of a cigarette and checked her angle on the one building she was working on. The music, fresh air, and her peaceful activity took her from all her thoughts and troubles completely. The music was so loud that she didn't hear the approaching footsteps. A shadow appeared on her canvas and she tilted her head in disbelief as she suddenly turned and realized someone was watching her. She ripped the ear buds from her ears and turned to see Jeff standing there with a cigarette in his hand. He smiled at her and she stared at him unsure of what to say.

He looked at her sketch, then out into the city, then back to her. "You're an incredibly talented artist!" He smiled. "This is beautiful!" he exclaimed pointing to the sketch.

"Uh, thanks." She mustered to say. "It's just a hobby I do to pass the time while waiting for the show to start."

"You do this often?" he asked.

"Every arena..." she stammered.

He looked surprised. "Whoa, that's incredible."

She blushed. "See?" she said handing him her sketch book. He flipped thru the pages and saw skylines from tons of different cities the company had visited.

"Wow!" he exclaimed. "I've never seen such beautiful work before!"

She blushed. She'd heard rumors that Jeff was a flirt and had been linked to having flings with a lot of the female roster. She wondered if he was up to something. He looked at her and for the first time, saw her as herself, not Hazel the sister of Kane and the Undertaker. Just Hazel. The beautiful woman with an amazing talent for sketching. He felt himself blush slightly.

"I just wanted to make sure you were ok?" he said suddenly.

She looked at him with a confused look. "I think I should be asking you if YOU are alright after Kane big-booted you." She said with a soft laugh. She smiled. "I'm fine. Seriously, I know it was an accident."

"I still feel horrible about it. I just wanted to make sure you were ok." He stammered.

Kane peered out the door to the arena and saw Jeff and Hazel talking. He rolled his eyes and returned to his locker room. Taker sat on the couch looking at Kane. "Is our sister out doing her stupid scribblings as usual?"

"Yes," he sighed. "But we have a problem…"

Taker sat up and listened intently. "Go on…."

Kane sighed, "She's out there with Hardy."

Taker smirked. "That's a very interesting development. I'm assuming it's Jeff…"

Kane nodded his head in agreement. "What do we do about it?"

Taker laughed. "This is perfect. I have an idea. Hardy's brother dates that skanky Women's Champion. I say it's time for Hazel to win herself a title."

Kane looked at him with confusion.

Taker laughed. "Hardy is not an issue. Once Hazel wins the title from Lita, Matt won't want Jeff hanging around Hazel and the problem won't exist. Don't worry about it right now, we have bigger things to worry about." He laughed. "Go fetch the artist and if Jeff's there still, make sure he knows his presence is not appreciated."

"With pleasure…" Kane laughed as he left the room.


	2. Chapter 2

Hazel was still talking to Jeff when Kane approached them looking highly annoyed. She rolled her eyes as he screamed her name.

"I'm right here and I see you! Why are you screaming at me?!" she screamed in the direction to her brother.

Jeff looked from Hazel to Kane and realized that Kane and Undertaker used their size to intimidate their little sister. He felt a pang of remorse for her in his chest. Kane approached them and looked at Jeff. He sneered at Jeff.

"What are you still doing here?" he asked forcefully.

Before Jeff could answer, Hazel spoke up. "What do you want? Jeff and I were just talking and having a cigarette."

Kane's anger raged. "Get your stupid book and let's go!"

"My stupid book?!" she screamed. "You have no idea what is stupid and what isn't!"

Kane grabbed her arm suddenly and shook her. "You better watch your mouth, you ungrateful little brat!"

Hazel was startled by Kane's force, she turned to Jeff and gave him a sorrowful look. She pulled her arm from Kane's grasp and began gathering her art supplies. She stuffed her pencils, cigarettes, and i-pod into her bag and turned to Jeff.

"Let's go!" Kane yelled becoming impatient. He gave Jeff a stern look as he turned to followed Hazel. "I don't understand why you'd be out here with that trash!"

"He's not trash!" Hazel screamed turning back to look at Jeff.

Kane shoved her, and she almost lost her balance. Hazel turned mournfully as they entered the door to the arena. Jeff stood in the parking lot stunned and angry. He'd never seen Kane or Taker put their hands-on Hazel, but the locker room had always suspected that they bullied Hazel with their monstrous sizes. He felt his anger boiling inside of him. He flicked his cigarette to the ground and entered the arena. He needed to find Matt and Lita.

**Brothers of Destruction Locker Room**

Undertaker heard his siblings arguing in the hallway. Hazel's screams were getting closer and closer. Suddenly, the locker room door flew open and slammed the wall. Hazel stormed in, quickly followed by Kane. Taker smiled seeing Hazel was irate.

"Don't you ever put your hands on me again!" she screamed pointing her finger at Kane.

Kane lunged for her. She stood, unmoving, in front of him. She was angry because of Kane physically touching her, but more so because he'd embarrassed her in front of Jeff.

"Knock it off you two!" Taker yelled.

Hazel looked at Taker, who said nothing in her defense. She shook her head and flopped down on the couch in the room and pulled her knees to her chest. She wanted to cry but she knew she couldn't without angering the brothers further.

Taker smiled. "Hazel, you have a big match tonight!" he exclaimed excitedly.

She scrunched her face in confusion. "No, I don't."

"You do now, so you need to get ready…" he replied.

"What match?" she questioned.

Taker smiled. "Women's Championship match."

"Seriously?" she questioned. "What are you up to? I haven't even been named number one contender for the title so how do I magically have a title shot tonight?"

"Get ready you ungrateful little brat!" Kane yelled. "You should be thanking Taker, not giving all this mouth!"

Hazel rolled her eyes and jumped up from the couch, grabbed her duffle, and slammed the bathroom door behind her without another word.

Taker exchanged looks with Kane. "Problems?"

"I think you need to reinforce your control on her. She has too much freedom and too much attitude."

Taker smirked. "Perhaps I will…"

**Team X-Treme Locker Room**

Lita and Matt sat on the couch cuddling when the door flew open, taking them both by surprise. Jeff stormed in. His face was pained, and he couldn't stop pacing in front of them.

"What's wrong?" Lita finally asked.

"I kind of always thought it was possible, but now I've seen it with my own eyes! Kane and Taker bully Hazel!" he yelled.

Matt and Lita looked at each other, then back to Jeff. Neither one said anything.

Jeff's frustrations turned to their passive attitude. "Don't you care?!"

"Um, why would I really care about what happens between those three? It's none of our business, but why do you care so much?" Lita asked.

"For one, she's tiny compared to them. For two, I hate the thought of any guy getting physical with a girl." Jeff stated. "And lastly, Hazel is a sweet person."

Matt noticed his younger brother's slight blush when he said the last part. "What do you mean she's a sweet person? You don't know her."

Jeff smirked.

Matt rolled his eyes. "Jeff, seriously?!"

"She was outside when I went out to smoke. We were talking a little before Kane came and literally pulled her back inside."

"Well, that makes sense now…" Lita sighed. "I have to defend the title against her tonight. Taker and Kane must have pulled some strings because she's not even the number one contender."

Jeff rolled his eyes. "Who cares about a match. I'm telling you I saw Kane grip her up and neither one of you care at all!"

Matt held the bridge of his nose. "Jeff, we have to fight her brothers for the titles on Sunday. Lita must fight her tonight for her title. Don't get involved in their problems. Stay away from that girl. I'm telling you, it will only get you into trouble."

**Women's Title Match**

Hazel adjusted her ring gear as she walked out into the locker room. Her brothers didn't say a word as she stormed past them out into the hallway. Hazel's long black pants had sparkles going down the sides and her halter top sparkled in the lights. Her thick, curly hair was pinned up into a messy bun. She walked towards the ramp with her arms folded over her chest. She wasn't worried about the match. She'd fought Lita many times. Sometimes she won, sometimes she lost. Lita and Hazel's matches were hard to call because both women were evenly matched in ability, and both were high flyers. Hazel didn't like this match due to the unfairness of it. She wasn't the number one contender and therefore, this shouldn't be a title match. She was so angry with her brothers that she could feel her blood boiling within her body. Lita approached the ramp with Jeff and Matt in tow. Jeff looked at Hazel and offered her a small smile as he neared her.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

She nodded her head and twirled a loose curl that framed her face.

"Jeff!" Matt yelled infuriated.

Hazel's music began to play, and she headed toward the ring looking beaten down.

Jeff looked at Matt "What's your problem?"

"What part of stay away from her do you not understand?!"

Lita entered the arena with the Hardys and climbed into the ring. She looked at Hazel as the referee held the title in the air. The match began with the two women exchanging moves back and forth. Jeff watched from the mat and was impressed with Hazel's aerial technique. Lita caught Hazel in a bulldog and drilled her into the mat. She began to climb the turnbuckle to deliver her finisher. Suddenly, Kane appeared and pushed Lita from the turnbuckle while the referee was distracted by Matt, who had jumped up on the apron. Hazel was slowly moving on the mat, but obviously dazed. Kane pulled her limp body on top of Lita, then exited the ring and screamed for the referee to count the pin. Matt jumped down from the apron looking irate as Jeff just watched in disbelief. The referee counted to three, then named Hazel the new champion. Kane slid into the ring and yanked his sister to her feet and grabbed the title from the referee. Hazel was unsteady on her feet and looked around in confusion. Matt had pulled Lita from the ring and they were on the outside of the ring. Lita, was still feeling the effects of Kane's interference.

Hazel stared at Kane as he slammed the title onto her shoulder. She became irate as reality hit her. She never interfered in their matches, why would they interfere in her match?! She stumbled towards the referee.

"This is a mistake! Kane interfered! I'm disqualified!" she screamed.

The referee shrugged his shoulders and held her arm up in victory. The crowd was unsure of how to react to the outcome of the match. Hazel noticed that the Hardys and Lita were gone already. She rolled out of the ring and stormed up the ramp holding the title in her hand. Kane laughed as he followed her slowly up the ramp. She stormed into the locker room and was greeted by Taker.

"Congrad…."

"Shut up!" she screamed cutting him off. "What the hell did you do?!" she screamed as Kane entered the room.

"I made you a champion!" Kane screamed.

"You cheated! I won because you cheated! I DON'T cheat to win, and this isn't my title until I win it fairly!" she screamed shoving Kane.

He laughed. "Feisty aren't we Hazel?"

"How dare you? How dare BOTH of you!" she yelled at both of her brothers.

"You are the most ungrateful wretch ever put on this Earth! You always have been!" Taker yelled shoving her into the wall. He grabbed her by the neck and continued to pin her against the wall. "You have always been ungrateful, and I wish you'd never been born! Father should have done away with you like he did your whore of a mother!" his grip on her neck tightened. "I should choke the life out of you right now!"

Tears streamed down her face, smearing her makeup. She was gasping for air and tried with all her might to push free of him, but she couldn't. Taker released her, and she fell to the floor gasping. Taker laughed as he and Kane left the locker room. Hazel sobbed hysterically as she held her throat. She rose to her feet and felt dizzy as she walked out into the hallway. She found her way to the Hardys locker room and knocked on the door. Matt opened the door and found a disheveled Hazel. Her eyes were bloodshot, she'd obviously been crying because of the mascara stains on her cheeks, and she was holding her throat. She stood in front of him crying and he didn't know what to do. Jeff shoved him from the doorway and came face to face with Hazel. His eyes lit up with concern as he saw her.

"Please tell Lita, I'm sorry and rematch whenever she's ready." She gasped between tears.

She turned to leave but Jeff caught her by the arm. "What did they do to you?!" he demanded.

She turned to face him, and she began to sob. He neared her and pulled her hand from her throat. He was horrified to see a perfect hand print shaped mark. Hazel didn't know what to do. She'd never cried in front of anyone before and she didn't know if she could trust Jeff. Between the pain and the tears, she couldn't calm her breathing down and the gasping became worse. She felt dizzy and foggy. She looked Jeff in the eyes and suddenly began tumbling towards the floor. Jeff caught her in his arms and began screaming for Matt.

"I told you! I told you she was in danger!" he screamed.

Matt looked overwhelmed. "Take her to medical. If they find her here, we are all in danger!"

"How can you only be worried about yourself?! Do you not see what they've done?!" He screamed. "Fine, I'll take her to medical and act like I don't give a shit just like you!"

He lifted her body into his arms and headed to medical. "It'll be ok, I promise, this will be the last time they hurt you." He whispered softly to her.


	3. Chapter 3

Please REVIEW! Does anyone read this?! Please give feedback!

Hazel began to stir in the medical office. Her eyes fluttered opened as she tried to figure out where she was, because nothing looked familiar. She began to breathe with a labored sound and placed her hand onto her throat. The last thing she remembered was talking to Jeff. Where was she and what had happened? She realized that she was on a table in the medical office. She tried to sit up and realized that her arm was connected to a blood pressure cuff. Her anxiety grew as she felt she couldn't catch her breath. With all her might, she ripped the blood pressure cuff from her arm and began to sit up.

"Hazel…" a soft voice said.

Her eyes darted at the sound of her voice. She saw Jeff and two of the medical team running towards her.

"Hazel, please, calm down." The one medic said to her.

"What… happened… to… me…" she panted.

Jeff had his arm on hers. "You passed out. I brought you here. You are safe." He said calmly.

She looked into his eyes and looked down at his hand on her arm. She felt safe around Jeff. Safer than she'd ever felt. Even safer than she felt around her brothers. She thought about the events prior to her waking up in the medical office. Kane's actions before her match and Taker's afterwards. She knew in the locker room that she was dizzy, why would she go to Jeff? Someone she hardly knew? What was the matter with her?

"You're going to be fine," the medic stated bringing her from her thoughts. Jeff smiled at her.

"Where are they? How long have I been here?" she asked jumping from the table. "I need to get back."

Shock filled Jeff's face. "Hazel, you can't!" his grip tightened on her wrist in a protective way.

"I have to. They are my family." She said sadly, freeing herself from his grasp.

"Taker choked you out!" Jeff screamed.

She looked at him sadly. "You don't understand. They are all I have, and I am all that they have."

Jeff looked to the medics for help but received none. The arena was on the tv, so Hazel knew she hadn't been MIA for long. Suddenly, she heard her brothers' theme song and saw them approach the ring. Her body tensed as Taker took the microphone.

"Kane, we seem to be missing a sister here. She must be somewhere celebrating her Championship win!" he laughed as the crowd boo-ed loudly. Kane laughed as Taker spoke. "Hazel Harper!" Taker screamed into the microphone.

Hazel cringed at the sound of her name.

"Get out here!" Taker commanded.

Hazel looked at Jeff sadly as she headed for the door to the hallway.

"Hazel, please! Don't! You can't! They will kill you!" Jeff pleaded.

She shrugged. "I have to. The longer I make them wait, the worse it will be for me. Thank you, Jeff Hardy." She said as she headed towards the ring.

Taker and Kane paced in the ring. "I won't tell you again, GIRL!" Taker screamed.

Hazel took a deep breath and stood at the curtain to the arena. She knew if she refused to appear to Taker's beck and call, it'd be worst for her. She couldn't even begin to think of the awful things that they could do to destroy what soul and spirit she had left. They were cold, hardened monsters who thrived on the misery of everyone around them. She sighed and took an uneasy breath. Her theme song filled the arena as she stepped onto the ramp with the title on her shoulder and stood looking at her brothers. She hated them both. The hatred burned in her eyes. Taker motioned for her to come down to the ring. She hesitated but slowly walked down towards them, trying to figure out what game they were playing with her as she plastered on a false smile for the fans who cheered and took pictures as she passed. Kane stood on the rope to open it for her. She cautiously entered and stood watching them.

"I shouldn't need to call you, now that you are Champion, it doesn't give you the right to disobey me! You are still less than me and will do as you are told!" he spat into her face.

She stood unmoving, looking at Taker. She knew what he wanted from her. He wanted her to be his minion. His follower and unquestioningly follow his to command. He was trying to break her spirits and use her as he saw fit. Kane smiled as the crowd boo-ed as Taker talked down to Hazel and tried to break her spirits.

"You don't believe you are the rightful Champion, sister?" he barked into the microphone. "You ungrateful little thing! It shouldn't matter HOW you won, just that you are Champion! Why must you always have to do the right thing and so honorable! It's disgusting!"

She snatched the microphone from him and narrowed her eyes. "No! I am NOT the Champion! I am not the Women's Champion! I am just ME with a stolen belt." She glanced at the belt resting on her shoulder. "Kane interfered and attacked Lita! I can beat Lita on my own! I don't need help from either of you! Lita had me down for the count and SHE is rightful Champion, NOT me!" she screamed. "I'd love to be your Champion and wear this belt proudly!" she said addressing the arena of fans as she looked at the belt then back at the crowd. "I can't do that until I beat Lita fairly and win this on my own merits. Lita, whenever and wherever." She spoke strongly.

Taker looked irate as she tossed the microphone at him with a smile on her face. She turned to leave the ring and brushed her hair onto her shoulder as she began to crawl from the ropes.

Backstage, Jeff watched with a smile on his face. Hazel had once again surprised him with her words and actions. She was this amazing person, who was overlooked for so long because of her brothers. He felt sadly for ever thinking she was just like her brothers.

"Uh, Hazel, I'm not finished with you! You are not dismissed!" Taker yelled drawing her attention away from the fans and back to her brother. She stepped back into the ring and crossed her arms over her chest.

"What do you want?" she questioned.

"We have given you too much freedom and you have forgotten your place, Dear Sister." Taker spat at her. "I have let you do as you wish, and you have forgotten who you are."

He motioned for Kane. Hazel looked at her brothers questioningly as Kane revealed her sketchbook. He handed it to Taker as Hazel watched in horror. She ran towards her brother begging him to give her back her sketches. "Taker, please don't do anything to my sketches! They are my treasures and that book means EVERYTHING to me!" she shirked. Kane and Taker laughed as she dropped to her knees in front of her brothers begging with her all to have her sketches returned. She realized now what their plan was all along. Taker began to destroy her book and threw the pieces of paper on top of Hazel like confetti. She began to sob as her sketches were torn to shreds and thrown all around the ring. Hazel grabbed the ripped pieces as tears streamed down her cheeks. She ran from the ring as Taker and Kane laughed clutching a few pieces of her once most treasured possession. The crowd boo-ed Taker and Kane as they exited the ring laughing.

Jeff watched the monitor in horror as her sketchbook was destroyed, he stormed to the ramp entrance just as Hazel ran threw the curtain, almost hitting him. The tears streamed from her eyes.

"Did you see what they did?!" she screamed, "Years of work and they destroyed it in less than 5 minutes!" she threw the shredded pieces of paper to the ground. "Nothing matters! Nothing at all! Nothing matters to them but being as cold hearted as possible! THEY KNEW what my sketching meant to me and now it's gone, and I have nothing but a stolen title!" she cried, tears pouring from her blood shot eyes.

It was the most she'd ever expressed to anyone. She felt embarrassed but the torment she felt for her lost sketches was too overwhelming. She gave Jeff an apologetic look and threw her hands in the air. She turned and ran away from the curtain in a state of brokenness. Jeff picked up the destroyed papers and watched as she disappeared. His heart broke for her. The brothers came threw the curtain and saw Jeff. They laughed at him as they passed.

"You need to stay away from Hazel. She is ours!" Taker yelled bumping Jeff's shoulder.

"Oh, so because she's your sister you can bully and abuse her physically and psychologically at will? You have no damn idea what that book meant to her do you?" he yelled as his blood boiled.

The brothers turned to face him. "How dare you address ME with such an arrogant tone! "Taker yelled.

"You have NO idea what an amazing person she is and if you are doing this because you love her, then you have no idea how much you just destroyed her!" he screamed walking away.


	4. Chapter 4

Jeff was outside in the parking lot secretly hoping he'd see Hazel, who he hadn't seen since the other night when her brothers humiliated her in the ring and destroyed her sketchbook. He stared out at the skyline of the city and a small smile crossed his lips thinking about his first conversation with Hazel. He wondered what hell her brothers had put her threw over the years and felt himself get angry at the thought of anyone doing anything cruel to her.

"Jeff!"

He knew without turning his head to know it was his brother, Matt. He turned and saw Matt coming towards him.

"There you are!" Matt yelled. "What are you doing out here?"

"I was just smoking..." he said.

"You've been gone a while."

"I was just thinking about Hazel,"

Matt looked irate. "Why are you thinking about her?! I told you to leave that girl alone and every time I turn around you're either with her or thinking about her! Just do us all a favor and stop seeing and thinking about the Undead Princess!" he screamed.

Jeff shoved Matt hard in the chest, "Don't ever call her that!"

Matt looked shocked, "Why does it matter what I call her?! Why do you care about this girl?! She stole Lita's title from her and you can't stay away from her? What is your problem?!"

"She didn't steal anything! Kane interfered, Hazel even said that to anyone who would listen and even tried getting the referee to reverse the decision because of it!" Jeff snapped. "You keep her name out of your mouth because people like you are the reason everyone just assumes she's like her brothers!"

"People like me?!" Matt yelled.

"Yes, small minded idiots who judge people they've never even talked to!" Jeff screamed as he stormed off.

Hazel watched as Jeff turned and walked away. She'd been hiding on the roof watching the brothers argue. She'd been outside when Jeff was outside alone, but she'd chosen to stay hidden because she was embarrassed to face him after their last encounter.

"What do you think caused that?" a voice behind her said suddenly.

She nearly jumped from her skin when she heard the voice. She quickly turned to see Edge standing there. "You scared me!" she screamed.

"You still lurk in the shadows I see," he said grinning. "So, you are causing an issue with the Hardy brothers I see."

She shook her head. "No, I'm not!"

Edge laughed, "Clearly you are. It's nothing to worry about. It happens, he obviously likes you."

"No he doesn't." she said quickly with a small blush.

Edge pointed at her and laughed. "AND you like him too!"

"I think he's interesting and he seems nice." she said.

"Taker and Kane will love this!" Edge mocked.

"Stop," Hazel ordered. His mocking was angering her.

"You saw what they put me threw and you didn't even like me... just watch what they do to him." he said still laughing.

"It's not funny! They will kill him just for coming near me which is why I can't be around him." she said strongly.

"You actually like that hick loser but let me go..."

"He's not a hick loser, but he also cares about people unlike you. You only care about yourself and I couldn't stand your snobby ass so I got tired of seeing you get your ass beat on a daily basis and it being blamed on me." she snapped before turning from him.

Edge laughed as he watched her leave. He knew he'd gotten under her skin and it was clear now that Hazel did like Jeff.

Back in her locker room, she grabbed her duffle bag and slammed the bathroom door without a word to either of her brothers. She hadn't said anything to either of them since they destroyed her sketchbook. She hated them both and had nothing to say to either of them. She smiled at her reflection in the mirror, she knew her brothers were about to lose their minds when she stepped out of the bathroom in her new ring gear. Vince McMahon had spoken to her about revamping her image since rightful or not, she was the Women's Champion. She brushed her newly dyed black hair and began to flat iron it. No more curls for this girl. She applied her black eye makeup and smiled at her reflection. She wore fishnets and black shorts that barely covered her butt. She adjusted her boobs in her push-up bra and halter top that left her stomach exposed. She knew this would anger her brothers beyond anything. She laughed as she zipped up her knee high boots. After checking herself in the mirror, she opened the door and stormed into the locker room. She avoided their eyes as she grabbed her title and headed towards the door.

"What in the hell do you think you're doing?!" Taker screamed.

She turned on her heels to face her brothers. A smile crossed her lips. "What do you mean? I have a match."

Taker grabbed her wrist. "The clothes! What are you thinking?!"

She yanked her wrist from his grasp. "I'm doing what you wanted! Vince said as champion I needed to revamp my image, and you two made me a champion so this is your doing!"

"Get changed!" Taker screamed.

"No!" she screamed. "I have a match."

As she left Taker looked at Kane. "Teach her a lesson."

Edge saw Jeff by the vending machines and a smile crossed his face. He'd gotten under Hazel's skin so now he wanted to get under Jeff's.

"Hey Hardy," he said as he approached.

Jeff looked up. "Hey,"

"So I was up on the roof when you and Matt got into it. Everything alright?" Edge asked pretending to care.

"You were?" Jeff asked.

"Yeah, well Hazel and I both were." he said with a smirk.

"Hazel was with you?" he asked blushing a bit.

"Yeah man, she and I go way back." Edge said still smiling. "She's a great girl and still a good friend to me."

"Friend?" Jeff asked.

"Oh yeah, us being close hasn't been for sometime. No hard feelings though, I mean go for it if you want."

Jeff raised an eyebrow, "Go for it?" he questioned.

Edge smiled. He leaned closer to Jeff. "She's a sweet piece of ass..."

Jeff shoved Edge into the wall. "Don't talk about her like that!"

"So if you aren't trying to get into her pants why are you hanging around her? Do you want Taker and Kane to kill you for no reason? At least give them a reason to kill you." Edge laughed as he pushed away from Jeff. "I'm telling you, it's worth it... best I've ever had."

Jeff felt the anger rise up from the pit of his stomach.

"Oh and Jeff, I won't think anything less of you for having my seconds. Shit, maybe I'll go talk to her about another go..." Edge said laughing as he walked away. He turned the corner and felt something inside of him hurt. Edge had always loved Hazel. The thought of her being with a loser like Jeff Hardy made him feel physically ill. He'd confirmed it, both Jeff and Hazel felt something for each other, and that killed Edge.

Lita was in the ring with Matt and Jeff ring side when Hazel's music began playing. She stepped out onto stage wondering how the fans would react to her new image. The crowd cheered her as she walked towards the ring. Jeff's jaw almost dropped when he saw her. She slid into the ring and jumped onto the turnbuckle. The arena filled with camera flashes. She handed the title to the referee and looked at Lita. The match began with both women taking risks and the match being hard to call. Hazel climbed the turnbuckle after catching Lita off guard and knocking the wind out of her. Suddenly she heard boos and felt her foot go from beneath her. She slammed to the mat and turned to see Kane standing there smiling. The referee called for a disqualification. Kane grabbed Hazel by the hair and forced her to her feet. She screamed in pain, knowing that something was wrong with her ankle. Jeff watched from the outside of the ring and without thinking slid into the ring and began attacking Kane. Kane laughed as he released Hazel and turned on Jeff. Matt shook his head as he slid into the ring to help his brother. Lita ran to the side of the ring where Hazel was. After Hazel's promo about not wanting to be the champion because it was stolen from her, she'd started to view Hazel differently. Lita grabbed Hazel's arm and pulled her from the ring.

"I got you, but we need to go." Lita said as Hazel leaned on her.

"Thanks." she panted.

"Can you walk?" Lita asked.

Hazel nodded her head as the two began to quickly walk up the ramp. Hazel limped but tried to move as fast as possible. Suddenly, she felt someone grab her. She screamed but turned to see Jeff, who grabbed her into his arms. Matt was next to Jeff as he picked her up not looking happy. Kane was laid out in the ring because the brothers had used chairs to get the monster down. As they ran threw the curtains, Hazel wondered where Taker was but she prayed that she wouldn't need to deal with him tonight.


	5. Chapter 5

Once backstage, Hazel looked around from Jeff's arms looking for Taker. He was nowhere to be seen, surprisingly. Lita nudged Matt, who looked at Jeff with a disapproving looking. "We need to take you to medical to look at your leg." Jeff said nervously, "That's why I haven't put you down yet." Before Hazel could reply, Matt lunged towards them. "Take her to medical and leave her there! Now we have to worry about Kane and Taker because you couldn't stay out of other people's family issues!" Jeff felt Hazel's body tense as Matt spoke. She pushed from the comfort of Jeff's arms to the floor and stood on one leg. Jeff tried to steady her but she bit her lip and gently nudged his arm from hers. "I'm sorry if my personal issues with my brothers have put anyone into danger. I promise you nothing will happen to either of you because of me." she said softly as she feared her voice would break. She began to turn and walk away. She could hear the brothers fighting and suddenly felt Jeff's arms around her waist again. She turned to face to him. "Please," she said trying not to cry. "I don't want to cause any issues with Matt." Jeff could see the tears brewing in her eyes. "I don't care what he says, I care about you. I don't know how or why. It's powerful and the strongest feeling I have in me lately is the drive to protect you and not care what it means for me. I can handle an ass beating." Hazel's eyes widened at his words. "I just want to be around you and know that you are safe." he continued. She smiled. "I have the same feeling. I just want to be around you no matter what my brothers do to me. I always look for you." He pulled her closer to his body and she reached up and ran her hand across the design cut into his beard. She smiled at him as she looked into his eyes. He touched the skin on her face and drew his face closer to her. He rubbed the tip of his nose on hers before kissing her softly. She wrapped her arms around his neck and placed all her weight onto him as they kissed. "I like the new look too by the way." he blushed. "Totally caught me off guard." "I saw your face when I came to the ring. I knew you liked it." she said laughing as she ran her hand threw his multicolored hair as they hugged. "Hey, Jeff," she said softly. "Yeah?" he asked still holding her body close to his. "Can we please go to the medical office? My ankle is killing me," she said laughing. Jeff smiled as he picked her up into his arms. "I'm sorry. I got distracted." he said laughing. One Week Later Jeff and Hazel were sitting in Team Xtreme's locker room. Hazel's ankle was splinted and elevated. Matt burst into the room with Lita right behind him. "I hope you're happy!" he screamed. Jeff jumped to his feet, "Watch your tone!" Matt smirked. "I wasn't talking to the Undead Princess! I was talking to you! Because of you being involved in their family nonsense, now you and I have to fight her brothers?" Hazel narrowed her eyes. "They still call me the undead princess?" "I told you about calling her that!" Jeff yelled. "Even so, Hazel never did anything that made me jump in after Kane... and she also didn't do anything to get you to jump in after me so all this hostility towards Hazel needs to stop! I'm sick of it!" Hazel put her face into her hands and tried to decide what she should do. "I told you to stay away from her and you don't listen! You never listen and your recklessness now has put us in danger." Matt screamed pointing at her. "I told you to leave her alone and stay with Trish but now we're in a shit storm because of her!" he turned to her. "Why are you even here? Get out!" Hazel jumped up and grabbed her crutches. "I have no clue what to say other than I am sorry and I'm going." she yelled. "Haze, stop." Jeff begged. "I'll see you later, I know where I'm unwanted so I'll go." she snapped. Jeff grabbed the bridge of his nose. He was boiling with anger. "What is wrong with you?! That girl has done NOTHING to you! I've seen how she's treated and I want to help her! She's never asked for help but I do it because I care about her! Why can't you just let me be happy with someone who makes me happy?!" "Because she's their sister! ARE YOU CRAZY? Go find Trish or some other girl!" Jeff shook his head. "No, Matt, I love her. I'll do what I need to do to make it right but I can't let her go." Hazel used her crutches as she walked towards her brothers' locker room. She sighed before opening the door. They were sitting there as if they had known she'd show up. She didn't hesitate. "Whatever you two have planned, I want it stopped. Leave them alone. I'll do whatever you want me to do but please leave them alone." Taker laughed. "Sister, you need to stay out of our affairs. Those Hardy brothers have been a thorn in our side and they need to learn their places." "Jeff was protecting me when he attacked Kane! Kane by the way fractured my ankle and go knows what else he was going to do when Jeff jumped in!" Hazel screamed. "Why would Hardy protect you?" he mocked. Hazel stood there with her arms crossed. Taker grabbed her arm, "What have you done?" "NOTHING! He cares for me..." she paused. "And I care for him." "No!" Taker screamed. "Not this nonsense again! You are too good for Hardy. Same way you were too good for that idiot Edge. You will never be with some loser!" "Jeff isn't a loser!" she screamed. Kane laughed from the background. She spun on her heels. "He's a good man and he's kind to me! He talks to me! Just let me be free to make my own choices!" "I want you ring side for the match." Taker ordered. "If you start following directions, I might take your requests into consideration." Hazel raised her eyebrow. Taker and Kane went to the ring and the crowd erupted into boos. Taker took the microphone and began talking about how the Hardys had interfered in a situation which wasn't theirs to be involved in. "Our sweet sister starts associating with this trash on the roster and she forgets who she is. Kane was just teaching her a lesson then the Hardys interfered. So now we have a problem with them that we need to settle." he spat into the microphone. "Hazel, I know you're lurking somewhere so get out here and face what you have done!" Hazel's music played and she slowly stepped onto the stage with her crutches. She looked miserable and in pain as she got close to the ring. "Take a seat and watch what your disrespectfulness has caused for your friends." he ordered. Hazel sat ringside with the announcers as the Hardys theme music played. Matt and Jeff charged the ring and began to attack the Brothers of Destruction. Within no time, both of the Hardys were motionless on the mat. Taker smirked at her as he pulled Jeff to his feet. He was barely able to stand without Taker's assistance. Taker gave Jeff the last ride but still refused to pin either Hardy. Hazel couldn't stand this anymore. She slid into the ring and began yelling at her brothers who had each Hardy on their feet. Taker was about to deliver another last ride, while Kane had Matt in a chokeslam. Both Hardys bodies hit the mat and sounded like they'd broken in half. "Pin one! Stop this nonsense!" she screamed begging. Taker laughed and shoved her out of his way. She almost fell but managed to keep her balance with her crutches. Her face changed from sweet to a scary demented face. She hobbled back towards Taker, who had Jeff in position to deliver a 3rd last ride. Throwing caution to the wind, She swung her crutch into Taker's lower back like a baseball bat. He released Jeff and turned to his sister, laughing. Kane threw Matt outside of the ring and joined his siblings. Hazel stood into between her brothers, holding her crutch, and balancing her weight off of her casted foot. She didn't know what they would do to her now. Jeff was slowly moving to his feet as he watched in horror what was going on. Taker lunged for his sister and grabbed her by the throat. She began kicking him wildly with both feet as she began to feel dizzy from the lack of oxygen. She gasped beneath his grip and her eyes began to water. "This is the price of loving you!" Taker spat. "I love you too much to watch you make a mistake and I am protecting you!" he screamed before choke slamming her onto the mat. The crowd booed as Taker and Kane began laughing. Kane threw her title belt on top of her in a very disrespectful way. "Here's your broken and disgraced Women's Champion." Taker yelled before throwing the microphone on her. Jeff crawled across the mat to check on Hazel, who was unconscious on the mat. "TAKER!" he screamed into the microphone. "I love your sister and I will prove to you that I'm worthy of her!" Taker jumped back into the ring and charged Jeff. He was enraged and pulled Jeff to his feet and gave him another last ride. Taker motioned to Kane to get Hazel. The crowd booed as Kane grabbed her and swung her over his shoulder. The siblings left as Matt and Jeff began to get to their feet. Jeff ran after Taker and Kane in hopes to save Hazel. Lita was helping Matt. "He loves her, Matt. You need to let him do what he needs to do." She offered a small smile. "You act angry at Hazel but it's the fact that Jeff wants Hazel that bothers you." Matt nodded his head. "She jumped into the ring with a cast and crutches trying to defend you guys and not a lot of people would do that. You just can't see her as anything besides their sister." Lita said softly. Jeff ran towards the locker rooms and banged on the brothers of destruction's door. No one answered then he heard the door to the roof open and close. Jeff ran towards the door and knocked softly, Hazel opened the door and smiled at him softly. She embraced him in a hug and held him slightly longer than a traditional hug should last. "I'm sorry I couldn't stop them." He smiled as he wiped the tear from her cheek. "You tried to beat your brother with a crutch for me. I don't know what else you could have done." "I couldn't watch him hurt you." she whispered. She smiled slightly. She wanted to ask Jeff about what he'd said to Taker but she was nervous. "About what you said..." "I love you Hazel. I know it's fast but I am drawn to you and I can't describe it. I will make it so your brothers have to accept me." he said kissing her. "I was looking for you because I have something for you." She looked at him oddly. "What do you have for me?" Jeff handed her a book. "I know it can't fix all the pain, but I figured it's a start." he said smiling. She opened the book and found her ripped up sketches. Jeff had collected the pieces and glued them back together. Tears began to pour from her eyes as she felt the ripped pieces of paper below her fingers. It must have taken hours of time to fix. She said nothing but clung to Jeff tightly. "You have no idea how much this means to me." She looked into his eyes. "I love you Jeff." she said kissing him. Her fingers twirled into his hair. "I will prove to your brothers that I am worthy of you. No matter what it takes." he said. "They love to hurt and destroy people. I can't watch them do it to you. I'm sorry Jeff. I can't do this. I love you so much it hurts but I know they will kill you and I can't live with that." she sobbed as she ran away from him clutching her book. 


	6. Chapter 6

Over the next few weeks, Jeff made his presence known to Taker and Kane at every opportunity. He knew Hazel was staying away from him because she was afraid of her brothers' punishments, not that she didn't have feelings for him. Even though Hazel had refused to see him a few times, he knew from Lita that Hazel was miserable without him. Since everything, Hazel and Lita had become fast friends and Lita filled Jeff in on Hazel's avoidance of him.

"Jeff, she loves you but she is terrified of her brothers killing you for being around her. She thinks that it's better for her to be miserable and you be safe."

"I'm miserable. I feel broken inside and I don't care how many beatings it takes, I will prove myself to both of those monsters."

Taker had a match with Tommy Dreamer one night when Jeff suddenly charged the ring and kicked Taker into a pile of vomit. He quickly retreated while Taker looked like he was about to erupt with anger. Once back in the locker room, he charged Hazel. "What's your boyfriend thinking? Is he trying to make me kill him?!"

Hazel looked at him with sorrow in his eyes. "I haven't seen or spoken to Jeff so I have no clue what his plan is..."

Kane sat there watching their interactions. Hazel was miserable and he could see that the spirit she once had was gone. He'd felt this once before when Tori left him for X-Pac.

Taker was still fuming. "Well, I have a plan for him and hopefully he'll get it threw his stupid head that I am not one to toy with."

Hazel looked up with horror. "What plan?"

"Stay out of it!" Taker boomed.

"I love him please just leave him alone!" she screamed.

Taker laughed, "You don't know what love is you stupid girl!"

The next night on Smackdown, Jeff had a match with Raven. The match was uneventful until Taker suddenly appeared at the ring. Hazel watched the monitors as Raven handcuffed Jeff to the ring rope. Taker began beating Jeff who couldn't defend himself. Without hesitation, Hazel ran to the ring. She slid into the ring with a steel chair in her hands. She slammed it into Raven and turned to her brother. She held the chair up and looked at her brother. "Please Taker Stop!" she screamed.

"You going to hit me for him?" Taker laughed lunging towards her. She took a deep breath and slammed the chair into his face but it didn't phase him. She looked at Jeff, still cuffed to the ropes and unable to defend himself. She swung the chair once more and cracked her brother in the face. He fell to the mat and Hazel looked shocked that she'd had the power to hurt her brother. She quickly dropped the chair next to Jeff and pulled a set of keys from her boot. Jeff smiled at her as she released his restraints.

Taker was up and charging towards them. Jeff pushed Hazel out of the ring and she hit the mat hard. She jumped up to see Taker give the last ride to Jeff. She held her head in her hands. She was so close to saving Jeff but it wasn't close enough. She slid back into the ring to check on Jeff. Suddenly she felt a coldness on her. She looked up to see her brother. He had the chair in his hands. Hazel protectively covered Jeff as Taker screamed at her to move.

"No! Leave him alone!"

"Girl, move!" he yelled trying to yank her from Jeff.

Hazel clung onto Jeff's arm. "I'm not moving until you are out of the ring! You've done enough now go!" she screamed.

"Hazel! GET UP! This isn't about you!" Taker ordered.

She shook her head. "I love him and I won't let you hurt him. So if you want to hit him with that chair, you need to hit us both!"

Taker was infuriated. He drug her to her feet by her hair and kicked Jeff from under the bottom rope to the steel steps. Hazel was trying to free herself from her brother when he threw the chair onto the mat. "You don't learn!"

Taker lifted her up into the piledriver hold and dropped the move on his little sister on the steel chair. The arena booed wildly as Hazel smashed head first into the steel chair. Jeff was sliding into the ring to aide Hazel when Taker caught him with the big boot. Taker was overwhelmed by his actions towards his sister. He left the ring looking back and seemed remorseful. The referees where calling for the medics. Hazel was unconscious and bleeding from the face. Jeff crawled towards her and felt as if he'd failed her once he saw her condition. She came out to protect him, and he couldn't protect her. He felt his face get hot and he reached for a microphone. "Hey! Hey Taker! I want a match with you! Next week!"

Taker laughed.

"If I win, Hazel and I can be together without any interference from you and Kane. If I lose, I'll walk away from her."

The medics were hurrying to the ring as Taker nodded at Jeff in acceptance of the match.

Jeff stood by watching the emts work. Hazel hadn't moved once and was still unresponsive. "We need to get her to the hospital. This is serious." the one emt said.

Jeff held Hazel's hand as she was wheeled up the ramp. He was so mad at himself for allowing this to happen to her. If he hadn't been provoking Taker, this never would have happened. She was protecting him and she paid the ultimate price.

Hours later at the hospital, she still hadn't woken up. Jeff said next to the bed and held her hand in his. He was at a loss for words and didn't know what to do. "I love you and I am so sorry I couldn't protect you, Hazel. If I'd just left your brother alone this never would have happened. I am so sorry for not protecting you. I promised you that you'd never suffer again and I keep letting you down. I need you to wake up. I need to know you're ok and not mad at me." he cried softly kissing her hand.

The sunlight flickered on her face as she began to stir. She heard the monitors beeping and looked down to find Jeff asleep with his head resting at her lap. He held her hand in his. She smiled at him as she softly stroked his hair away from his face. Her soft touch woke him suddenly and he looked at her with a smile.

"Oh my God! Hazel! I am so sorry!" he said.

She smiled. "I don't remember you tombstoning me into a chair..."

"I couldn't protect you!" he cried.

"He gave me my opportunity to move and I didn't! There was nothing you could have done!" she said softly. "I don't blame you for anything. I just couldn't watch him hurt you. Especially cuffed to a rope. That was just unfair."

"I couldn't stop him from hurting you. Why didn't you just go instead of pissing him off?!"

She smiled. "You do crazy live for the moment shit when you're in love."

"You love me?" he asked.

"I always have. I just thought avoiding you would make the feelings go away and I could protect you."

He smiled at her. "I am so crazy in love with you. That's why I've been annoying Taker to show you I'm not going to just disappear."

He kissed her softly.


	7. Chapter 7

~~Review please~~

Jeff stood watching the city's skyline in the distance as he was lost in his pre-match thoughts. He had to beat the Undertaker so he could be with Hazel without any interference from her brothers. He thought about how she had tried to protect him from her brothers and she ultimately paid the price for defying her brothers' wishes. Suddenly, he felt a presence on the roof and he knew he wasn't alone anymore. He felt her soft touch as she wrapped her arms around his waist. She pressed her head onto his back as he covered her hands with his over his chest.

"I don't want you to do this... please.. there has to be another way. It's too dangerous." her voice spoke softly.

He turned to face her and saw the worry in her face. He touched her cheek and offered a small smile. She was wearing a neck brace from the last time she'd seen her brother and he'd given her a pile-driver onto a steel chair. Her face was puffy and slightly discolored from the bruises. "Haze, I don't want anything to ever happen to you because you are trying to protect me. I can't constantly be worried that your brothers are coming for me because they don't think I'm worthy of you."

"Let me talk to them. Please. I can't watch him hurt you!" she began to cry.

His fingers gently ran over the neck brace. "And I can't live with myself knowing that you got hurt because of me."

She was trying to fight back tears. "I can't let you do this. I love you and I can't let you do this match. Taker will kill you if for no other reason than to hurt me."

"I will find a way to win." he said trying to sound confident. "I do love you Hazel. I would do anything to prove it to the world." he smiled kissing her nose.

She tried, but couldn't shake her anxiety about his match. She tried to give him a smile but she could feel the tears. "I love you and it will destroy me to know that this is all because of me. I can't watch him hurt you."

He touched the skin of her cheek and slowly kissed her. He stopped for a moment seeing Kane standing behind them watching. He kissed her softly, eyeing Kane, and pulled her body close to his. "Kane" he whispered into her ear..

She turned to see her brother standing there. "Taker wants to talk to you" he announced.

Jeff ran his hands threw his hair in frustration. Hazel looked and Jeff and slowly nodded her head as a response to his unverbalized question of if she was going. She kissed his cheek and offered him a small smile. It made him furious that over the past few weeks Taker had physically attacked Hazel and she still jumped when they summoned her. He watched as she disappeared from view with Kane.

Brother's Of Destruction Locker Room

Hazel walked into the room and found Taker sitting on the couch. "Hazel, I know you're pissed..." he began.

She placed her hands on her hips and stared at him. "You nearly broke my neck. Why can't you leave Jeff alone? You are going to kill him and for what? To hurt me? To break me? To make me obey you? What?"

Taker smirked at his little sister's boldness. "He asked me for the match..."

"But you can stop it! Please do you not understand how much he means to me? It will kill me to lose him!" she cried.

"You don't love him. You don't know him!"

"Yes, I do! I love him the way Kane loved Tori and you loved Sara!" she screamed shouting a name she knew was forbidden.

"What did you just say to me?!"

She looked at him. "I love Jeff the same way you loved Sara." She turned to Kane "And the way you loved Tori."

"You know not to mention that name to me!" Taker screamed backing her into the wall. Kane stood watching his siblings knowing that hearing Tori's name had hurt him. He remembered that time when she was the most important thing in his world, then she was gone, leaving him angry and broken. Hazel looked at Taker with pleading eyes.

"Please just stop this match! I love him and I want you both to realize that he loves me too. He isn't Edge! He isn't going to leave me unprotected or hurt me! He's not using me or going to break me. I know you think you're protecting me from getting hurt because Tori and Sara hurt you both, but you are destroying me!" she screamed.

Neither of the brothers said anything which infuriated Hazel. She felt like she was talking to two huge brick walls. "Jeff is going to keep coming to prove himself to you. No matter how awesome his ability is, I know that he will kill himself trying! Please just back off! If you ever loved me in the smallest measurement, please just let me be happy."

"You are turning on your family for someone you barely know!" Taker screamed.

"I'm not turning on anyone but I can't be loyal to a family who wants me to be miserable! Let Jeff and I be, and I will be part of the family and we can stop all this aggression between us!"

Taker smirked. "You come ringside and watch the match. Let Jeff show us how much you mean to him and I'll decide what my answer is."

Hazel ran her hands threw her hair. She was frustrated. She knew Taker was playing a game with her and she knew that no matter what her wishes were, this match would happen. "Fine," she said turning to leave.

"Oh Hazel," Taker called. "When I call on you, I expect to see where your loyalties really lie."

"Jeff, you are going to die just to be with a girl you hardly know! You can't love her! She put some type of spell on you or something! Since she came around, she's stolen from Lita, caused problems with our tag team, and put you into danger! The Undead Princess isn't worth this!"

Jeff stood listening to Matt who was saying the same old song and dance like a broken record. He shook his head and was beginning to worry about Hazel. She'd been gone too long. Jeff was brought from his thoughts by Matt's aggressive shove to the shoulder.

"I told you to leave Hazel out of this! She has shown herself! She took a pile driver to a chair trying to save me from her brother! She didn't put a spell on me! And I swear to God if you ever call her the Undead Princess again, I will rip your tongue out." he screamed backing his brother against the wall before punching a section right next to Matt's face with his fist. "And for the record, the problems with our tag team started when you started running your mouth about things you know nothing about."

Hazel walked into the locker room and found the brothers looking ready to fight. "Stop this!" she screamed pulling Jeff away from Matt. "Back off of him! Jeff, now!" she ordered.

Jeff hesitated then looked at Hazel, who had worry on her face. He walked towards her and put his arm around her shoulder. He glared at Matt as he looked to Hazel. "What'd they want?"

"Taker is playing a mind game with me. I'm not sure what he's planning." she sighed.

"There ya go Jeff, your little girlfriend's brother is going to kill you and she can't control him or stop him. Great choice! You should have stayed with Trish, at least you wouldn't have a death wish now." Matt sneered as he left the room.

Jeff lunged for the door but Hazel grabbed his arm. "Stop. He has a point..." she sighed.

"It's almost time for my match. I want you to stay back here so you don't get hurt again." Jeff ordered.

She shook her head. "I can't."

"Hazel,"

"I can't sit back and watch this. I will be with you at ring side but I will stay out of the way." she said. "Taker ordered me to be ringside anyway so I know he's going to do something heinous."

Jeff's music hit and he and Hazel walked down the ramp towards the ring. Hazel was wearing her black jeans, white tee, and her neck brace. She couldn't hide the fear in her eyes as they neared the ring. She walked up the steps as Jeff held the ropes apart to help her entrance easier with the brace. He held her hand tightly as Taker's music played and he headed towards them. Jeff kissed her cheek and ushered her from the ring as Taker entered the ring looking enraged. During the match, Jeff had a few good moves, but the match was dominated by Taker. Hazel stood on the outside of the ring trying to cheer Jeff on and keep his focus on winning after each time Taker knocked the wind from him. Hazel watched in horror as Taker lifted Jeff high into the air for the last ride then pinned him. She stood on the outside watching and waiting for Taker to leave the ring. He motioned for Hazel to enter the ring. Jeff was laid out on the mat, unmoving. She hesitated but slowly slid into the ring. She headed towards Jeff's side but Taker began shouting at her.

"This is his effort. It's not good enough!" Taker yelled rolling out of the ring.

Hazel slid next to Jeff and stroked his hair as she checked on him. She heard booing and realized that Taker was standing behind her with a chair in his hands. He grabbed her hair and yanked her to her feet. Pain filled her body as he jerked her sore neck. She turned and saw her brother holding the chair, staring at her with rage in his eyes. Hazel's eyes darted from Taker to Jeff, who was slowly beginning to move. Taker still had her by the hair. Jeff was fighting his pain to get to his feet to intervene and save Hazel. Taker released Hazel and laughed. "Show me your loyalty." he spat at her throwing the chair into her chest.

Taker laughed as Hazel refused to grab the chair. "Prove to me what you are." he laughed.

Hazel held the chair and looked from Taker to Jeff and back. She knew what Taker wanted but she couldn't. She held the chair in her hands and stared at both men. Jeff knew Hazel was just a tool to Taker.

She was screaming to Taker that she wouldn't use the chair. Taker was becoming frustrated with her. "Do it!"

She looked at Jeff sadly and mouthed the words, 'I'm sorry' to him. She raised the chair high above her head, ready to deliver the blow. Jeff nodded his head, accepting his fate. 'I love you regardless.' he mouthed to her.

Her grip on the chair was loosening. The chair was shaking in her hands. She raised the chair, closed her eyes and bit her lip. Jeff prepared for the blow, Taker laughed.

Suddenly, Hazel twisted her body and swung the chair with all her might. Instead of Jeff, she swung the chair towards an unprepared Undertaker. The chair connected with a loud crack and Taker dropped to the ground. Hazel dropped the chair and quickly rolled from the ring. "I made my choice." she screamed.

Jeff looked at her in shock. He quickly rolled from the ring and met her with a huge kiss on the ramp. The crowd began to cheer as they embraced. Taker flung his body up and was enraged, realizing what had happened.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Taker looked up the ramp watching his younger sister, Hazel, and Jeff Hardy embracing on the top of the ramp. She'd just disobeyed him and instead of hitting Jeff with a chair, she'd turned the chair and struck him instead. He held his temple which was red and throbbing from the chair shot. He looked in rage at the couple.

Jeff had Hazel in his arms and she'd just shocked him by her actions. "Why, Hazel, Why? Why would you do that?" he panted in pain.

She had no worry in her eyes as she smiled at him. "He told me earlier that I needed to choose where my loyalties lie."

Jeff pulled her into a tight hug, knowing exactly what her words meant. She had chosen him over her own brother. She loved him and he loved her. As they walked threw the curtain hand -in-hand, they saw Kane. Jeff's grip on her hand slightly tightened. Kane just stood and watched them as they passed. He made no attempt to talk or approach them. They headed to the locker room area, Hazel was not staying at the arena after her actions. She pulled Jeff's hand to speed up his pace. As they turned the corner, they ran into Matt in the hallway. He stood watching them and said nothing. He followed them into their locker room and watched as they gathered their things. Lita and Hazel were talking in the background as Jeff approached him.

"Matt, your my brother and I love you. I know you better than anyone. I just want to be happy. I know that Hazel makes me happy. I don't know what else she needs to do to prove to you that she deserves a chance to be more than their sister to you."

Hazel and Lita were silently watching their boyfriends. Matt looked down and said nothing in return.

Jeff stood with his bag over his shoulder, watching Matt. He bit his lip. "I know you hate to admit when you're wrong, but this is one time that you are dead wrong..." He turned and looked at Hazel. "Are you ready? I really think we should leave now before we see your brother."

Hazel nodded her head slowly and grabbed her bag. She carefully hugged Lita and walked past Matt as they left the locker room.

"Hey," she whispered softly as they walked close together.

"Hmm?" he responded as they left the arena and entered the roof of the parking garage. They city skyline was lit up with lights that twinkled in the darkness.

"You like living in the moment and all right?" she asked.

He stopped and turned to look into her eyes. He nodded his head as he smiled and looked into her hazel green eyes. She leaned forward and pulled him into a tight hug.

"I think we might need to be on our toes for awhile until we see how my brothers are acting. So I guess we'll both be living in the moment because now you're stuck with me." she said laughing.

Jeff laughed as he held her then pushed away from her enough to look into her eyes again. He placed his hands on both sides of her face. Their eyes were connected. He leaned forward and kissed her. "The question is do you want to be stuck with me though?"

She nodded her head as she kissed him again once more. "It's not a question. I just hit my brother with a chair to prove to him how much you mean to me."

_Brothers of Destruction Locker Room_

"I can't believe she hit me! What a disloyal and ungrateful brat!" Taker screamed.

Kane just watched him.

"I will make them both pay for this disrespect."

Kane sighed. "She says she loves him. I mean other than him being a slightly annoying pest time to time, I don't see him as a bad guy."

Taker's eyes widened. "You're taking her SIDE?!"

"I don't think Hardy is a big enough problem to cause all this friction in our lives. She's our sister!"

Taker ran his hands angrily threw his hair. "She hit me with a chair!"

Kane lunged towards Taker. "You did a pile driver on her... a pile driver onto a chair neck first! I'd say a chair shot isn't important!"

Taker ran his hands threw his hair and spit onto the floor. He glared at Kane. "Go get her! Now!"

Kane laughed. "No, I'm not going to get her. She's not here. She left with Hardy."

-3 days later-

Hazel emerged from the locker room with a huge smile on her face. She was in her ring gear and had her title on her shoulder. She had been called to Vince's office and wondered what was going on. Jeff was with the trainer and hadn't wanted her to go alone. Hazel on the other hand didn't care anymore what her brothers thought about her being with Jeff. As she walked to the office she couldn't contain her smile. She passed Edge in the hallway.

"I see Jeff got what he's been after..." he called to her.

She quickly turned on her heels and turned to face him. "What'd you say to me?"

Edge laughed. "Oh don't deny it. It's written all over you. The clothes, the walk, the smile, the new attitude. You let Jeff get what he wanted. All this I love you stuff, it's not true. He just wanted to get into your pants. Which he obviously did..."

Hazel's eyes narrowed. "First of all, what I do isn't any of your concern. Secondly, what's wrong are you jealous?"

"Jealous of that loser hick? Nah, never. I could have had you if I thought you were worth it."

Hazel laughed. "Oh please, I rejected your advances more than once because I knew what I was to you. You're nothing more than a scumbag pig." she smiled as she flipped her hair over her shoulder and turned to walk away.

"Slutbag whore." Edge laughed.

She laughed at his insults. "Can't be a slutbag whore when I haven't slept with Jeff or anyone. Sorry, Jeff is a gentleman."

Edge laughed. "So you guys just slept next to each other but nothing happened. Wow, it's better than I thought. No one WANTS to touch you. You will always be the unloved Undead Princess."

Hazel felt the rage building. She slapped him with all her might and he grabbed his cheek. He smiled as she stormed away still holding his cheek.

Jeff stood outside Vince's office waiting for Hazel. He smiled when she emerged from the office. He grabbed her hand as they walked to the locker room. "Everything ok?" he asked sensing Hazel's mood change.

"Yeah." she said quickly.

Jeff stopped and looked at her. "Haze?"

She shook her head and bit her lip. "Nothing with Vince. Just asking about my neck."

"Then what's wrong?"

"Edge and I got into a fight." she said. "I ended up slapping him." she said with a smirk on her face.

"Wait, what happened? When was this?"

Hazel sighed. "On my way to Vince, I passed him in the hallway. He was making comments and I got pissed."

"Comments about what?"

"You and I. He called me a whore and said I gave you what you wanted." she said rolling her eyes.

Jeff was boiling with rage. "I'll kill him."

"Kill who?" Lita asked as she joined them. "Here," she said handing Jeff a paper. "Who are you killing?" Lita asked again trying to smile.

Jeff ran his hand threw his hair as he read the paper. "Shit!"

"What?" both females asked at the same time.

"I have a ladder match with Taker tonight."

Hazel grabbed the paper. "What?!" she screamed as she read the paper. She looked at Jeff with worry on her face.

Taker was in the ring with the microphone in his hand. "Last week, I defeated that weakling Jeff Hardy. Then my sister attacked me with a chair instead of proving her loyalty to me. Jeff Hardy, you have ruined my sister and now I will ruin you. You will never be good enough for her. You must pay for her disrespect. Both of you get out here now! Hazel, I promise you, you will watch the man you love be beaten to death and he will not walk out of this arena because of you! I mean it, get out here now."

Jeff and Hazel appeared on the stage and began to walk towards the ring. The match began and Hazel watched as Jeff's body was thrown around the ring like a rag doll. Hazel watched in terror as Taker choke slammed Jeff from the top of the ladder and was determined to be the winner. Jeff was struggling to his feet as Taker looked at Hazel. "This is your doing!"

Taker began to leave and as he was walking up the ramp, he saw Jeff was struggling to get to his feet. Taker charged into the ring and gave Jeff the last ride. Hazel screamed at her brother. "Leave him alone! GO! Get out!"

Taker smiled at her as he left the ring once again. Hazel stood protectively blocking Jeff's body. She watched Taker as he neared the stage. Suddenly she heard Jeff's voice. She turned to see him on the microphone. "Taker... Hey Taker... you haven't broken me. I'm still standing!" he screamed.

Hazel tried to get the microphone from Jeff but he refused to relinquish it. Taker was heading back to the ring. Irate that Jeff was standing, using the ropes to stand, but standing none the less.

"Jeff, stop.. get down.. get out!" Hazel screamed as Taker pushed her out of his way. She tumbled to the mat and watched as Taker grabbed Jeff's hair and forced him to his feet. Jeff looked at Taker and prepared for a blow as Taker drew his fist back. Taker looked into his eyes and turned to see the torment in his sister's eyes. He stood with his fist drawn back and suddenly dropped his fist. He patted Jeff 3 times in the head and raised his arm. "You're a crazy son of a bitch. You better protect her." he said dropping Jeff's arm. Jeff tumbled to the mat in shock and tried to gather what had just happened. Taker neared Hazel. He bent down and offered her his hand. She looked at him oddly but allowed him to help her to her feet. "He's a crazy son of a bitch."

Hazel smiled. "I know."

Taker pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry. I just don't want to see you hurt."

Hazel hugged her brother tightly. He released her and pushed her towards Jeff. "Help him up. He needs it." Taker laughed as he exited the ring.

Jeff was checking his hands and fingers when Hazel was pulling him into a hug. The crowd cheered as they stood together in the ring with Taker smiling from the stage. "Crazy damn kids." he laughed to himself as he disappeared from the arena.

"You did it!" Hazel screamed with excitement boiling over. "You proved to him that you will protect me! He's going to leave us be!"

Jeff pulled her into a kiss. "I know. I don't know how, but I'm so glad I don't need to fight your brother again anytime soon!"

Hazel laughed as she helped him to his feet. "Let's get out of here." she said.


	9. Chapter 9

Jeff walked out into the parking lot and his eyes darted around looking for Hazel. There she was perched on the cement ledge looking out into the horizon. She had her ipod on as she sketched. The sun sparkled on her hair as he approached. She didn't hear him so when he wrapped his arms around her, she jumped and looked at him. The terror quickly faded as she realized it was him. A smile traced her face.

"I knew you'd be out here when you weren't in the locker room." he laughed.

She shrugged her shoulders. "You know me better than anyone else." she said with a smile.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

"Of course. I just can't help myself. Sometimes, no matter what is going on, I just need to escape." she said smiling.

"Are you going to the ring with Matt and me?" he asked.

"Of course, but I doubt Matt wants me there." she sighed.

In the weeks following Jeff and Taker's ladder match, Matt still wouldn't accept their relationship. He'd almost gone out of his way to make her feel unwanted and she couldn't understand why. She'd done nothing wrong or offended him in any that she knew of. Jeff had tried to reason with him, so had Lita.

Jeff hugged her. "Matt is a stubborn ass. One day he will come around. One day he will understand how much I love you."

She nodded her head.

-During the match-

Hazel stood on the outside of the ring watching the brothers fight Triple H and Stone Cold. After an intense match, Matt was pinned by Triple H. The bell rang as a signal to the end of the match. However, it was quite clear to Hazel that winning wasn't enough for the men. They began to assault both Matt and Jeff violently with chairs. Hazel jumped up onto the apron of the ring and screamed at the referee to do something. Stone Cold smiled at Hazel as he approached her and drug her into the ring. Triple H gave a lifeless Jeff the pedigree as Hazel attempted to free herself from Stone Cold's grip. Triple H turned to Matt just as Hazel freed herself and instinctively jumped in front of Matt.

"Please stop!" she cried positioning herself in front of Matt.

The men laughed as they began to hit Matt and Jeff with steel chairs. Hazel watched in horror as they attacked the brothers with chairs. Stone Cold threw Jeff from the ring and both men turned onto Matt, who was lifeless on the mat. Once again Hazel jumped into the fight and threw her body on top of Matt's. The men began laughing as they began hitting Hazel with the chairs as she covered Matt. Jeff was pulling himself up to his feet as he saw Hazel's body on top of Matt's while Triple H and Stone Cold beat them both with chairs. The referees came running to the ring but the damage was already done. Hazel had taken 7 chair shots in an attempt to save Matt. The referees were pushing Triple H and Stone Cold away from Hazel and Matt as Jeff slid slowly towards his girlfriend and brother. Matt was sluggishly coming to when he realized that Hazel was laying on top of him. Jeff was pulling her body away from his as he freed himself from underneath her. His head was pounding as he slowly rose to his feet. He watched Jeff cradle Hazel's body in his arms. The referees were talking to Jeff but Matt couldn't hear the conversation.

"I'll take her." Jeff said as he slowly slid out of the ring and pulled Hazel into his arms. Matt quickly rolled out of the ring and followed his brother up the ramp.

"Jeff, is she ok?" Matt panted as he caught up to them and saw that Hazel was dazed but conscience.

Jeff stopped quickly and stared at Matt. Hazel was moaning and holding her head as she rested against Jeff's body. "What happened?"

"She jumped in front of me."

There was no further conversation between the brothers until after Jeff had taken Hazel to medical. Matt stood outside the office with Lita by his side when Jeff came out.

"Is she ok?" Lita asked quickly.

"She's banged up but she's going to be fine." Jeff sighed.

"That's great news. I'm glad nothing is seriously wrong because that was brutal to watch." Lita said.

Jeff stared at his brother. He was angry that Matt had allowed Hazel to get hurt. "Why didn't you stop her or get her out of danger?!" Jeff yelled.

Matt avoided looking into Jeff's eyes. "She jumped in front of me and the next thing I know she's on top of me and you are pulling her off of me! This is not my fault!"

Jeff ran his hands threw his hair. "Hazel was protecting you or at least trying to and you still feel nothing towards her! No concern or care! She is laying in there in pain because she is loyal to me and you! You could have pushed her out of the ring or something! Instead you let her be a human shield for you and you don't even care how she is or treat her like anything more than an inconvenience! Yes, she has my heart and you are mad at her for that when you should be happy but you blame her! She has done nothing but try to prove to you that she has my best interests at heart and you won't even talk to her! She just took 7 chair shots to protect you and you can't even act like that matters to you. You only see her as the Undead Princess and guess what, I am in love with her and if you can't understand that then you never will!"

Matt looked taken back by his younger brother's outburst. "I never asked her to!"

"Lita never asked me to protect her but I have. I never asked Hazel to protect me but she has. You are the only one who doesn't add Hazel into the team. You protect your team and for some reason Hazel considers you on her team but I have no idea why." Jeff snapped. "I don't even think you have my back these days let alone hers, obviously."

Matt looked down.

"I have never been jealous of you and Lita. Never once. I was happy for you both but I always wanted someone I could be with and until I found her, I never had it! I do now and you can't even let me be happy. I don't want you to be best friends but you gotta accept that she is in my life and if we are a team she's in your life too." Jeff said before storming back into the medical office and slamming the door behind him.

Lita looked at Matt. "He's right. You being so mean and hateful is destroying everything; not Hazel and Jeff's relationship. Hazel is actually a really nice, sweet, and caring girl if you get to know her. I'll admit, I was terrified of her because of her brothers but she really is the exact opposite of them. If you can't see how much Jeff loves her then you will lose him forever because she isn't the problem for the tension lately."

Matt sighed. "I know she's not. I have no clue why she'd try to save me after everything I've done."

Lita smiled. "Because she does the right thing and she knew that Austin and Triple H were going to hurt you and Jeff. She tried to stop it because it wasn't fair even though she knew it'd put her into danger. Hazel is like Jeff; they act without regard for themselves."

~~3 days later~~

Hazel sat with her arms folded on her chest like a pouty child. She wore a neck brace and eyed Jeff as he walked around the locker room. "I'm not wearing this and I'm not staying back here during your match. I really don't care what you say." she spoke sharply.

Jeff laughed. "Haze, I'm not telling you to stay back here to keep you from something fun! I am doing it to protect you and you need to wear the neck brace until you see the doctor next week. 7 chair shots can tear up your neck and it's all to keep you safe."

"Austin and Triple H don't play fair. They bring their chairs and weapons. I'm not sitting back here like a dog in a cone watching them hurt you!" she screamed.

Jeff kneeled in front of her. He took her hands into his and kissed them softly. "You aren't a dog in a cone." he said smirking slightly. "I love you and I need to protect you. I can't focus on them if I'm worried about you."

Hazel relented. She knew Jeff was doing this to protect her. She couldn't pretend to be mad at him when she knew it was for her own good. "Fine. I will stay right here."

"Promise me, no matter what, you will stay back here."

Hazel's eyes darted from his. She couldn't promise that her sense to protect them wouldn't overpower her promise to stay back. "I won't come out there and put myself into harms way." she said choosing her words carefully.

Jeff kissed her hands and smiled. "That's my girl."

Matt and Lita walked into the room. "Jeff, can I talk to you a minute?" Lita asked softly as she smiled at Hazel.

"Sure," he said following her out of the room.

Matt stood back for a moment and stared at Hazel. She looked down at her phone and avoided his gaze. He walked closer to her.

"Hazel," he said clearing his throat.

"I'm leaving just let me grab my things." she said standing up, still avoiding his eyes.

"No, stop." he said quickly. "I know I make things harder than necessary and I'm sorry. I was wrong about you and I'm sorry that I haven't been the nicest person to you."

Hazel's eyes darted up at his.

"I'm sorry for being an asshole to you and I appreciate you having Jeff's best interest at heart. I know now that I was wrong about you and I'm sorry I haven't given you the respect you deserve." he said softly.

She looked at him and knew that it was physically painful for him to admit he was wrong. She nodded her head. "I forgive you. Can you please just relax around me? I'm not out to hurt Jeff or anyone. I know you have been Jeff's protector for years but I'm not an enemy to any of you."

Matt nodded his head. Hazel recognizing his uneasiness with apologizing had made the conversation much easier than he'd expected. She smiled at him.

"Jeff banned me from the ring, please just be careful. I don't trust those two."

Matt nodded his head. "Lita is banned also."

"At least I'll have a buddy to keep me company." she said smiling.

Hazel and Lita watched the match and cringed often as the brothers were being man handled by Austin and Triple H. Hazel jumped up suddenly when Triple H brought out a steel chair and began hitting Matt and Jeff with it. She began to run towards the door. Lita jumped up and chased her into the hallway. "Hazel you promised!"

"They will forgive me with time for breaking my word!" she screamed over her shoulder as she ran.

Jeff was laying on the mat, looking up at Triple H holding the chair above him, ready to swing. Austin had Matt in a similar situation. Hazel's music suddenly played and she ran out onto the stage holding a chair in her hands. Jeff quickly tried to get to his feet, unsure of what Hazel was thinking. Triple H and Austin walked to the ropes and laughed at Hazel as she stood there holding the chair in her hands. She stood at the bottom of the ramp looking at all 4 men. 2 looking very eager to get their hands on her, and 2 looking a mix of confusion and anger that she wasn't in the locker room. She smiled and looked at the ring. The crowd cheered as they anticipated her next move. She stood there for a moment before she raised her arms and suddenly there was a loud boom. Taker and Kane were walking down the ramp towards their sister. She smirked at Triple H and Austin as her brothers joined her. "Get them!" she ordered as she handed Kane the chair. Taker and Kane slid into the ring as Austin and Triple H retreated quickly. Kane stood on the ropes as Hazel climbed threw the ropes and joined Jeff and Matt.

She smiled at Jeff. "I told you I wouldn't come out and put myself into harms way. I figured all danger would disappear if I brought my brothers along. I hope you forgive me."

Jeff smiled. "I can't be mad; you never promised you wouldn't come out. I had no clue what you were thinking."

"I couldn't sit back and watch them hurt you," she said looking at both of the brothers. "Either of you so I had to put a stop to it."

Jeff hugged Hazel as Austin and Triple H exchanged looks with Kane and Taker.

"Oh Jeff," she said softly. "Kane and Taker were a little mad about me getting laid out with chairs so apparently you need to keep a better eye on me." she laughed.

Kane looked at Jeff. "Yeah, that's one strike."

Jeff went ridged but Hazel laughed. "He's kidding! Kane actually can be kind of funny. Sometimes..."

Matt jumped out of the ring and laughed. Hazel held Jeff's hand as they walked to the back. Taker looked at Jeff.

"She's got a hard head and she does what she wants to do. She gets herself into problems like last week. We know this, but if you guys ever need our help with a problem come to us even if it's not strictly about Hazel. She is on your side, therefore so are we. Now, we will handle this Austin and Triple H situation because they beat our sister with chairs."

Jeff looked at Hazel once they were alone back in the locker room. "You are amazing you know that?"

"I'm just a girl who loves you." she said kissing him.

"And I'm just a guy who loves you too."


	10. Chapter 10

In the weeks following the attack by Triple H and Austin, Hazel unfortunately was required to have surgery on her neck to repair damage. She stood in the locker room sadly holding her title on her shoulder. Jeff, Matt, and Lita watched her as she wiped the tears from her cheeks and attempted to erase the sadness from her face.

"Hazel, Vince said you don't have to rush into any decisions until after you see the doctor again." Lita said softly.

She nodded her head, "I know, I know."

Jeff stood up and tried to put his arm around her, but she shrugged him off. "I'm fine. I know what I am going to do."

"Hazel, please let me help you," Jeff began.

She stared at him and shrugged her shoulders. "I'll be fine." she offered a forced smile before leaving the locker room.

Matt sighed. "She'll be ok. Let her do what she needs to do then we'll focus on getting her back to herself."

Jeff shook his head. "The injury was bad enough but her being sidelined is killing her. She's a shell of herself right now and she won't let me in."

Lita looked sad. Hazel was her friend and she'd witnessed the change in her since the injury. "She'll be fine in a few weeks once she's cleared to wrestle again."

Jeff sighed. "I hope so."

As Hazel walked towards the ramp with her title on her shoulder, she could feel the tears brimming in her eyes once again. Austin and Triple H had ruined her career and she knew if she ever was cleared to wrestle again, she'd never be the same. She was angry and wanted them to feel as bad as she did. Edge and Christian were standing in the hallway as she passed.

"Hey buddy!" Christian cried as he ran over towards her.

She smiled. "Hey Christian." she said as she hugged him.

Edge laid back and said nothing. Christian smiled at her. "How'd the surgery go?"

Hazel shrugged. "I get this cool accessory for a while." she said pointing to her neck brace.

Christian gave her a reassuring smile. "It's only a minor setback. You'll be back to kicking people's asses soon enough."

"Hopefully." she said sadly.

"Hey Jeff," Christian greeted as Jeff approached.

Jeff gave a nod and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"By the way, congratulations on everything. Hazel is a fantastic person. I'm happy for you both." Christian said genuinely.

Hazel smiled. "Thanks Chris. I have business to handle but it's great to see you back."

As Hazel and Jeff walked away, Edge watched them and his eyes narrowed. Christian could feel the coldness in Edge's eyes. "You know you gotta let her go. She's happy with Jeff and you lost your chances with her years ago."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Edge lied.

Christian laughed as he patted his friend's shoulder. "Sure you don't."

Edge looked irate. "I don't love Hazel. I never did!"

Christian smiled. "Sure. I know you better than anyone and I see how you look at her. I see how much you hate Jeff for no other reason then he has her. Don't do anything stupid to hurt that girl because you can't deal with how you feel."

Edge pushed his hair away from his face and nodded at Christian. "I never do anything stupid."

Hazel stood in the ring with Jeff by her side. She had the microphone in her hands. The crowd was cheering as she spoke. "As you all know, I had to have surgery on my neck because of the attack by Austin and Hunter a few weeks ago. Isn't this necklace beautiful?!" she laughed as she pointed to her brace. Jeff smiled at her. He knew her humor was an attempt to calm the pain she felt. "But being serious, I don't know how long I will be out of action while I heal myself." She said patting her title. "So it's only fair that I vacate the title until I can be a defending champion." she said softly as she looked at the title before handing it to the referee. The crowd was in awe as she did this. She could feel the tears in her eyes slipping down her cheeks. Jeff instinctively pulled her into a tight hug as she openly sobbed into his chest. The crowd chanted her name as the two exited the ring. She wiped the tears from her eyes and tried to smile at the crowd before they returned to the back of the arena.

"Hazel, I will do anything I can to help you threw this. It's a temporary setback. You will heal and you will win that title back in no time." Jeff said looking into her eyes. They once glittered but now they had all the life sucked from them. She stared at him and tried to smile. "I know," she said softly. "I just want to be alone right now. Can I find you guys later?" she asked softly.

Jeff sadly nodded his head. He kissed her cheek as he released her hand. "I love you Hazel. I hate seeing you hurting like this and I can't fix it."

"I love you and I will be ok." she said softly as she grabbed her bag and headed towards the parking garage.

Jeff watched her walk away and felt a pain in the pit of his stomach. His girlfriend was broken inside and there was nothing he could do to help except give her space and time. He knew Hazel would be posted up on the ledge with her music and sketch pad. He'd have his match then go find her he told himself. Edge walked up behind Jeff.

"Hazel's a little broken isn't she?"

Jeff turned around and shot him a nasty look. "Don't talk about Hazel to me."

"Hey man I get it. She's your girlfriend but I know Hazel. I have known Hazel for years and I know she's hurting inside. You can't fix her? She won't let you or it's just another thing that you fail at?" Edge spat.

Jeff's anger was boiling over. "Get out of here!"

Edge laughed. "I must be right. You fail at everything. Have you even been with her yet? You probably failed with that also."

Jeff's eyes narrowed. "Why are you so concerned about Hazel and my personal business? You told me that she was the best and come to find out that she never let you close to her. You failed to use her years ago and now you are jealous because someone got what you wanted?! Hazel is my girlfriend and she is very much taken care of!"

Edge laughed. "So you have slept with the Undead Princess?"

"Of course I have! She's my girlfriend!" Jeff's temper was rising. "I did what you failed to do and you can't stand the thought of it!"

"Well, I didn't know taking my virginity was a contest between you two!" Hazel screamed.

Jeff turned slowly to face his irate girlfriend. She stood there glaring at both men. Edge was covering his mouth as he laughed. He'd seen Hazel approaching while Jeff spoke and knew that Hazel wouldn't appreciate their conversation. Hazel had her hands on her hips and was ready to erupt with anger.

"Haze..." Jeff began.

She held her hand up. "So I was just part of your little pissing contest between you two? Well, congratulations, Jeff. I guess you won. Now Edge pay up so I can see what I'm worth!"

"Hazel, no! It was never a contest." Jeff yelled.

She turned towards Edge. "You couldn't get me so you had Jeff do your dirty work? Is that it?" she screamed slapping him hard in the mouth. "I never loved you! I hate you! You selfish, arrogant self absorbed asshole! That's why I left you alone!"

Edge smiled as he held his cheek. "Mmmhmm, you know I like it rough. Hit me again baby!"

Hazel's nostrils flared as she began to punch and kick him. "I hate you!"

Jeff grabbed Hazel's waist and pulled her back. "Get the hell off of me!" she screamed pushing him away. "You both make me sick!"

Edge laughed as Hazel stormed away. Jeff shot Edge a nasty look then ran after Hazel. Christian approached Edge and shook his head. "I really can't believe you. Why would you do that?"

Edge laughed as he held his cheek. "I don't want Hardy to be happy and he got himself in trouble with her. I didn't say anything wrong."

"You got Jeff to lose his temper and you saw her standing there. That is cold hearted and you know it! I'm going to go talk to her because you have no clue the damage you've done."

Jeff was trailing behind Hazel screaming her name but she refused to stop or acknowledge his calls. "Hazel stop!" he screamed as he lunged forward and caught her arm.

"Let me go!" she screamed pushing his arm from her. "Get off me! How much was I worth? Was it always a game or did you ever care?!"

Jeff looked stunned. "Hazel! It was never a game! I fell in love with you on my own! I never had an arrangement with that idiot!"

Tears were streaming down her cheeks, "Get away from me!" she screamed covering her face and backing against the wall.

Jeff fell to his knees. "Hazel Harper! I am in love with you because of who you are! Edge never sent me to get close to you! Edge is just instigating because he can't stand that you're with me and not him! He can't stand the fact that your brothers accepted us but not him. PLEASE look at me!" he screamed. "I'm begging you!"

Hazel looked at Jeff and she knew in her heart that what he said was true but she was hurt and embarrassed that Edge still could get under her skin to the point of violence. She looked at him kneeling on the ground at her feet. She saw Christian running towards them.

"What now?!" she screamed.

"Haze, please calm down! Edge is starting trouble! Jeff never had a bet with him. I know for a fact that Jeff and you found each other on your own and no one had a role in it. Look, I get you're confused and mad but Jeff isn't working against you!" Christian panted. Hazel looked unmoved by his words. "Hazel! Jeff loves you because of who you are and you love him! Don't let Edge get in your head and play a game in there with your emotions!"

Jeff looked at Hazel then to Christian. "Hazel, I wouldn't ever do anything to hurt you! You know that! Edge is messing with your head because he's bored with his life."

She looked at Jeff. she covered her eyes and sobbed. Jeff quickly rose to his feet and pulled her close to him. This time she didn't fight him. Christian slowly backed away hoping that he had served as a voice of reason and had ended any further fight between the two. Jeff held Hazel and felt a small sign of relief as she was in his arms.

"Hazel, I'm sorry. I swear to you, there's nothing going on with Edge."

"I know. I just can't stand Edge and the thought of him playing a hand in my life is sickening."

Jeff pulled away from her and looked into her eyes. "I love you and I'm sorry."

Hazel nodded her head and softly kissed his cheek. "I love you too..."

"Isn't that sweet?" Edge laughed.

Hazel jumped from Jeff's arms and lunged for Edge. She was swinging as Jeff pulled her back and gentle shoved her out of the way. Edge taunted Jeff as he stood facing him. "Get out of here!" Jeff screamed.

Edge laughed as he kicked Jeff in the middle of his stomach and sent him crashing to the floor.

Hazel lunged at Edge once more but Edge caught her arm and pulled her close to him. He kissed her as she faught him off and screamed. She slapped him in the face and he released her. Jeff charged Edge after seeing him kiss Hazel with rage in his eyes. He toppled Edge and began brawling on the floor. Hazel screamed for help. Christian and Matt appeared and jumped in to separate the two men.

"I'll kill you! Let me go! Touch her again and I will break every bone in your body! Get off me!" Jeff screamed attempting to free himself from Matt and get back to Edge.

"Bring it! Anytime you loser! You don't deserve her! Hazel really? You want this piece of trash?!" Edge screamed.

Lita was at Hazel's side. Hazel looked at Edge and her eyes narrowed. "I'd rather die then be with you!"

"Stop! Stop this!" Christian screamed as Edge tried to get towards Jeff once more. Matt was struggling to control Jeff as well.

"Good job! Always the under achiever huh Hazel? Scared to be the best you can be so you settle? Settle again because it's easier?! Just like when you left me because you were afraid to fight for what you wanted?" Edge screamed.

Hazel turned once more to face Edge. She lunged once more and began pulling his hair and slapping him. Christian tried his best to avoid her hits but she slapped both men multiple times. Lita was trying to pull Hazel away from the two blonde men. Matt couldn't stop Jeff once Hazel was fighting Edge. Jeff lunged into the mix and began punching Edge. Matt, Lita, and Christian grabbed Hazel from the mix as she was kicking and hitting anything that moved wildly. Christian grabbed her forcefully and shoved her into the wall. "Enough! Stop! You'll hurt yourself worse if you don't stop!"

Hazel looked at Christian and felt herself calm down. She put her head into her hands and let her hair fall over her face. She began to sob. She felt Lita pull her into a hug. Christian and Matt finally separated the two men with the help of a few other superstars who'd come to see what the commotion was about.

"You're done! Both of you!" Edge screamed as he wiped blood from his nose pointing at both Jeff and Hazel.

"Get him out of here!" Matt screamed before Jeff lunged forward again.


	11. Chapter 11

Hazel and Jeff stood side by side staring at Edge as Christian and others pulled him away. Matt and Lita looked exhausted from attempting to keep everyone separated.

"What in the world was THAT about?!" Matt screamed.

"That piece of shit..." Jeff panted wiping blood from his lip.

Matt looked at Hazel. "Well?"

"Edge kissed me." she said with disgust. She wiped her lips and turned to Jeff. "Are you ok?"

Matt looked at Lita then back to his brother and Hazel. "Edge kissed you so that caused you to lose your mind and try to fight a man with a neck brace on?! Hazel! You want to wrestle again don't you? Why would you think you could fight Edge?!" he turned to Jeff. "You two both have lost your minds! Vince could fire you both for this!"

Hazel laughed. "Vince won't fire me. He loves me. I've known him for years. Even so, Edge was wrong so why are you yelling at us?!"

Matt ran his hands threw his hair in frustration. "Jeff, you gotta control yourself and your girlfriend obviously since she thinks it's a great idea to attack a man while wearing a brace."

Hazel stared at Matt and narrowed her eyes. "Sorry Matt. I'm not thinking clearly apparently. I just had my career stolen from me because I wasn't thinking and protected you. My fault that my ex got under my skin and put his hands on me and I lost my cool. I'm soo sorry. It won't happen again!" Hazel screamed shoving passed Matt and disappeared into the locker room.

Lita looked at the floor and quickly ran into the locker room after Hazel.

"Shit Matt! Really?!" Jeff panted.

Matt threw his hands into the air. "What?! A kiss couldn't have sparked that!"

Jeff put his hand on the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. "Edge and I got into it earlier and I said some things I shouldn't have said and Hazel heard me. She freaked out on me and I had just cleared it up when Edge came back to bait the situation. Hazel went off and he kissed her. Then I went off and that's where you know it from."

Matt's eyebrow raised. "She heard you say what?"

"Edge made it like sleeping with Hazel was a contest between us." Jeff said softly.

Matt looked overcome. "Are you kidding me?! You and Edge had a bet on Taker's sister about who'd get there first? Are you kidding me?!"

Jeff gave his brother a disgusted look. "Oh God! Matt! No! What the hell is wrong with you?! Edge saw her behind me when we were arguing."

Matt held the bridge of his nose. "So Edge said what exactly to get Hazel to think you made a bet on her?"

"He didn't say anything. I told Edge that he was mad I did what he couldn't do and she heard me."

Matt bit his lip. "Are you insane? Why would you even say something like that?!"

"It was a mistake! Edge likes to get into your mind and play games." Jeff said getting frustrated. "Why are you on his side anyway?!"

"I'm not but we can't have brawls in the hallway because you and Hazel want to fight Edge for playing games with you both."

Jeff stormed passed his brother and entered the locker room. He was greeted by Lita, who looked concerned. Hazel was sitting on the couch looking angrier than Jeff had ever seen her before. He went to her side as Matt walked into the locker room. Hazel glared at Matt but said nothing.

Matt looked at Lita. "Let me just say this. Hazel, there was never a bet on you. Jeff fell for you as much as I tried to stop it on his own."

Hazel's mouth dropped in disgust as she jumped up from the couch. "Really?! Jeff seriously?!" she screamed as she left the locker room. Jeff slammed his head into his hands. "Really Matt?!" he screamed.

Matt looked at Lita. "What'd I do?"

Lita bit her lip and looked at Jeff apologetically. "Probably not the best thing to say to her, Matt."

"If she's mad because she thinks they had a bet, I was telling her it wasn't true!" Matt said earnestly.

Lita looked at Matt. "If they did have a bet, which they didn't, you still probably would say they didn't because Jeff's your brother." she turned to Jeff. "You better go find her before she finds Edge or anyone and kills someone. Also, probably not the best idea to go around telling everyone that you've had sex with your girlfriend. We all can assume it on our own." Lita said in a sisterly tone.

"Let's hope she doesn't murder me when she sees me." Jeff said sarcastically as he left the locker room.

Lita looked at Matt. "What I say never leaves this room. Understand?" she said softly. Matt nodded his head. "Hazel never slept with Edge. I know he told everyone that he had slept with her but he never did. Jeff was the only man to get there. She heard Jeff boasting that he did what Edge couldn't, and she got pissed. Then after they had calmed the situation, Edge popped back up for round 2 and she lost her mind. She's going threw it right now because of her injury and relinquishing the belt and to hear your boyfriend bragging to your ex... it tore her up and she lost it. Don't talk to her like she's a loose cannon or insane."

Jeff found Hazel sitting outside in the parking lot. She wasn't wearing a coat and was shivering in the cold air but she drew on her cigarette angerly. Jeff walked towards her. "You're going to freeze out here!" he said wrapping his hoodie around her. She didn't react to him at all. "Haze, I'm sorry ok?! I'm so sorry!"

She turned to him. "So am I."

He looked at her with confusion. "You have no reason to be sorry. This is my fault."

She looked at the ground. She bit her lips and looked at him. A tear slipped down her cheek. Jeff didn't understand what was going on. "Haze? What are you sorry for? Everything that happened was my fault."

She looked at him and tried to stop her crying. "When I was fighting Edge, I lost my mind. I know I probably hurt myself jumping after that cocky asshole."

"You hurt your neck?" Jeff asked with concern.

"Matt's right. I lost my mind thinking I could fight a man." she sighed.

"I never should have said what I said to Edge... or repeated it to Matt." Jeff said softly. "I don't know why Edge can push my buttons into rage mode so easily."

Hazel snorted. "Edge is a master of pushing buttons."

Jeff nodded his head. "I am really sorry I hurt you. I never should have said anything to Edge."

Hazel nodded her head. She sighed. "Let's go back in. I'm freezing. Even so I think we need to face Matt at some point."

~~3 days later~~

Matt and Jeff had a tag team match and Lita had offered to accompany them to the ring since Hazel was still out of action. Hazel had taken the opportunity to sneak away to the roof for music and sketching. She looked out to the setting sun as she sketched. She flipped her hair over her shoulder as she adjusted her head to capture a different angle. She felt someone behind her but turned slowly knowing that Jeff's match couldn't be over yet. She turned but found no one. She returned to her sketch but couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching. Turning once more, she saw a glimpse of someone from her shoulder. She jumped up and ripped her earbuds from her ears. "I saw you! LEAVE ME ALONE!" she screamed.

"Took longer than usual for you to sense me."

Hazel narrowed her eyes. "Edge, I swear on everything I love. Leave me alone."

Edge laughed. "Don't want to fight because Jeff isn't around to help you?"

"There's nothing to fight about. I hate you. Get away from me." Hazel spat in his face.

Edge laughed.

Out at the ring, Matt and Jeff were mid match when the tron began to boom static when the camera showed Hazel and Edge outside. Jeff instantly stopped and turned his attention towards the screen.

"Hazel. Your loser boyfriend made me bleed. I promised you that you both would pay for it." Edge laughed.

She looked at him and placed her hands on her hips. "Pay how?"

"He's going to learn that he can't always be around." Edge laughed as he grabbed Hazel and kissed her.

"Get off of me!" she screamed pushing him. She wiped her lips and spit on the ground. "You are disgusting!"

"I'm going to show Jeff how it feels to be powerless." he spoke with a laugh in his voice. "He can't always protect you, and I'm coming for you."


	12. Chapter 12

Edge glared at Hazel as he stood watching her. She showed no fear from his threats. She had a smirk on her face as he glared at her. "Oh you think this is a joke? You think I'm not going to make your life miserable?" the tension was rising as he neared her once more. "You don't think I can make Jeff's life miserable?"

Hazel laughed. "I don't understand why you can't just accept the fact that I chose Jeff over you. I don't want you and that eats you up inside."

Edge stared at her. "You are settling for that loser because you can't handle a real man so you stay with a little boy who will never be anything but a disappointment." he said laughing. "You will always be held back because you chose to stay with that hick loser when you have the chance to be with a man."

"Jeff is more of a man than you will ever be." she said laughing as she tried to push passed him.

Edge had her cornered and could feel his anger boiling inside of him. He wanted to grab her and shake some sense into her. "You're throwing your career away for a loser hick who can't do anything without his brother. The Hardy boys are never going to be anything but a mid-card tag team at best."

She attempted to pass him once more but he grabbed her arm forcefully. She looked at him and attempted to free herself. "Let me go!"

"Don't do this, Hazel! Don't!" he screamed. "I know you don't love Jeff. You never got over me!" he screamed at her. She laughed at his words. He loved her. He loved everything about her. He always did. She was beautiful, smart, and made him crazy just looking at her. He wanted to grab her and have her look at him the way she looked at Jeff. He needed her. He was losing his mind without her, and seeing how much she clearly loved Jeff drove him insane with jealously. Edge lost control and slapped her hard across the face. Hazel screamed as she held her face. Blood was pouring down her face from her nose and mouth. Edge quickly released her arm. He was in shock that he had struck her with such force.

Hazel held her face with tears in her eyes. Edge stood watching her. "Haze,"

"Don't!" she screamed. "Don't you ever come near me again!" she screamed.

"I'm sorry!" he screamed trying to grab her arm once more.

"Not yet but you will be!" a voice screamed from behind them.

Edge turned just as Jeff attacked. Hazel saw Matt and Jeff and she quickly ran towards Matt. The blood was still oozing down her face. Matt's face was shocked. "Jesus! He hit you?!" Matt screamed. Jeff 's eyes shot up and caught hers. Edge was scrambling to get to his feet. Matt handed Hazel his shirt to try to control the blood.

"You're a dead man, Edge!" Jeff screamed.

Edge was scrambling to his feet as Jeff caught him again with a blow to the face. By now Christian and referees were separating the two men. Hazel held the shirt to her face and she could feel her heart beating rapidly. Lita was standing beside her trying to comfort her. Jeff was screaming at Edge and trying to fight threw the referees to get his hands on the blonde once more.

"Stop!" Matt screamed at his brother. "She needs you!"

Jeff's eyes flashed to her. She stood there holding the blood soaked shirt against her face. He ran towards her and carefully removed the shirt. Her eye was swollen shut, her nose and cheek were bruised and puffy, and her lip was busted open. "He's a dead man..." he shouted.

Hazel winced in pain as Jeff placed an ice pack onto her swollen and bruised face. "I can imagine how horrible I look." she moaned.

"No matter what, you're beautiful to me." Jeff said smiling.

She tried to smile but it hurt her face. "That asshole almost broke my jaw... I can't believe him!"

"From now on, you are with me at all times. If you can't be with me, you must be with Matt. Never alone." Jeff said forcefully.

Matt and Lita nodded their heads in agreement with Jeff. "Hazel, you are part of our family and we protect our family." Matt said giving her a light pat on her shoulder.

"I look horrible. I can't believe he'd hit me like a fucking man. I literally can't feel half of my face." she said sadly.

A knock at the locker room door made Hazel jump. "I can't see anyone!" she screamed throwing the ice pack onto her face to try to conceal it.

Matt opened the door and Taker and Kane burst through the door. "What the hell happened?!" Taker screamed. "I just heard Edge attacked you!"

Hazel looked at her brothers. Taker yanked the ice pack from her face and gasped at her face. "I thought you were going to protect her?" he screamed lunging at Jeff.

"Stop!" Hazel screamed quickly. "This isn't Jeff's fault!" She grabbed her brother's am that grasped her boyfriend. "I was on the roof during their match and Edge attacked me! Stop it!" she screamed.

Taker looked at Jeff then back at Hazel. "As soon as Jeff realized what was happening, he was there but Edge had already hit me! Let him go!" she commanded.

Matt, Lita, and Kane stood watching. Taker glared at Jeff once more then released him. "You better deal with this or I will deal with BOTH Edge and you!"

Hazel pushed past Taker and wrapped her arms around Jeff protectively.

"I already have Edge handled. I told Vince I want his ass in a cage match." Jeff announced to the room. Hazel lifted away from him and stared at him. Matt and Lita looked shocked. Kane and Taker nodded their heads in satisfaction.

After Taker and Kane left, Hazel looked at Jeff. The fear was clearly in her eyes. "Cage match?"

"Hazel, I love you and look what that piece of shit did to you! I'm not letting him put his dirty hands or lips on you and not make him pay. He walks around this place like he's a God and owns the place. He's not just going to do what he feels like and get away with it! Not happening!"

Hazel nodded her head. She knew he was right, and no matter what she said, he was set to do this. Edge had crossed a line and Jeff needed revenge for what he'd done to Hazel physically and mentally. Jeff looked at his girlfriend and nodded his head. He knew that they were on the same page and that she didn't like the cage match but she knew it was the only way to end this situation with Edge once and for all.

In the days leading up to the match, all of the WWE had expressed their support of Jeff and Hazel. Even Christian was appalled by Edge's violence towards Hazel and the locker room  
had clearly sided with Hazel. Edge walked threw the hallway and heard whispers and saw looks of disgust as he passed. He entered his locker room and found Christian.

"I can't believe everyone right now! They are treating me like a nobody! They are all whispering about me and I know it!" he screamed.

Christian nodded at him. "You nearly broke Hazel's face after you forced yourself on her... yeah, everyone thinks you're a dirty scumbag."

Edge's rage boiled. "And I have to face that loser hick in a cage because of HER."

Christian had heard enough. "You deserve so much more than an ass beating in a cage by her boyfriend. You crossed a major line and you show now remorse for it!"

Edge ran his hands threw his hair. "You're siding with that little bitch?!"

Christian threw his hands into the air at his best friend. "She doesn't love you and she's happy with Jeff. If you thought you could change her mind, a swift slap in the face sure as hell isn't going to make her leave Jeff and come running to you!"

Matt watched as Jeff was preparing for his cage match with Edge. Matt completely agreed with Jeff about wanting to kill Edge. He knew he'd feel the same way if someone

putt their hands on Lita. Jeff noticed his brother staring at him. "I don't need to hear about how this is a crazy idea. I don't care how you feel. Edge has been torturing

Hazel for weeks and keeps pushing limits. He is done causing my girlfriend grief! Aside from me protecting my girlfriend, he's attacking ME as a MAN. Thinking he can

just do whatever he pleases with whomever he wants! Hazel isn't my property but she chose me and that is driving him crazy. He's going to learn to respect me, and my relationship

with Hazel. If he needs to eat some steel, then so be it!"

Matt nodded his head somberly. "I completely agree. I wasn't going to talk you out of the match. I'd do the same thing if someone was terrorizing Lita."

Jeff looked surprised that Matt wasn't trying to talk him down from the match, but loved that his brother was supporting his decision without question.

"Hazel is a part of you, therefore apart of me. Edge putting his hands on her and kissing her against her will is disgusting! She told him no more than once, tried to fight

him off, and she nearly gets her face broken in two by that pig because he can't accept the word 'no' and he needs to be brought back to reality."

"Let's hope this match is the last we hear from Edge." Hazel interjected as she entered the locker room. She was wearing tight jeans and a cut up Hardy Boyz shirt that covered her

boobs, but revealed her tone stomach. Her face was still bruised and swollen but was beginning to return to normal. Jeff smiled at her. "Hey Beautiful."

She blushed and looked down. Matt smiled and left the room so they could be alone.

"I love you." she said softly. "Please don't get hurt."

Jeff smiled as he pulled her into a tight hug. "I won't get hurt."

Edge was in the ring getting boo-ed by the crowd. He didn't seem phased by the crowd's reaction. "I don't care how you feel about me!" he screamed into the mic. "Jeff, get ready to need a stretcher out of here and hopefully this is the end of your career!" he smiled. "All because of your little bitch of a girlfriend!"

The crowd booed as Edge brought up Hazel. "Watch" Edge commanded as a video began playing on the screen. It showed footage of Hazel and Edge years ago when they were together and footage threw the years up to the reason for the match. The crowd booed as the footage of Edge hitting Hazel and her battered face played. Backstage Jeff has seen enough. He and Hazel charged out to the ring. Jeff burst into the cage and caught Edge in a spear. The microphone fell to the mat. The bell rang and the match was in full swing. Hazel watched from the outside. The match was brutual to watch. Edge battered Jeff and drug his limp body to the side of the cage where Hazel stood. Jeff was barely able to stand as Edge began screaming at Hazel. "Hick loser! Watch as I end your boyfriend's career! You little bitch!"

Hazel watched helplessly from the outside of the cage as Jeff was laying almost motionless. She banged on the cage trying to encourage her boyfriend. Suddenly, Jeff got a second wind and caught Edge with a move, leaving both men laying on the mat. Hazel was screaming and trying to get Jeff motivated to end the match. "Get up Jeff!" she screamed as she banged on the steel. Jeff was barely moving. Hazel began climbing the cage without thinking. The crowd was confused by her actions. She'd never climbed up a cage before, and she didn't realize how high it was until she was perched at the top looking down at the men in the ring. Jeff stared up at her in awe. He had no clue what she was doing. Edge was on his feet now staring up at Hazel after he planted Jeff forcefully onto the mat. Hazel hated Edge. She jumped from the cage without a moment's thought and hit Edge hard to the mat with a 'Whisper in the Wind'. One of Jeff's signature moves. When she lunged from the top of the cage, cameras began flashing and the crowd began cheering.

Jeff stared in amazement as Hazel jumped to her feet and began kicking the fallen Edge. "Don't you ever come near me or Jeff again you piece of shit!"

Jeff ran over towards her, kissed her passionately, and quickly pushed her towards the opened cage door. She exited the cage and to her surprise, instead of Jeff following behind her, he shut the cage door and returned to Edge. He began beating him relentlessly. Hazel looked shocked. Why hadn't he just ended the match and exited the cage with her?

She stood outside watching as Jeff slammed Edge into the steel cage over and over. Finally, Jeff dropped to his knees and pinned Edge for the win.


	13. Chapter 13

Backstage Jeff looked at Hazel with a new appreciation. She was as insane as he was, that much was clear. Matt and Lita were running towards them as they tur bed the corner for the locker rooms.

"Hazel, are you crazy?! You could have killed yourself!" Matt yelled.

Jeff had his arm wrapped around her shoulders and smiled. "She was amazing! I didn't know you could do that. "

She shrugged and smiled. "I had to do something. I couldn't watch that blood match anymore. I had to do something. I didn't realize I had climbed the cage until I was in top of it."

"Pure adrenaline." Jeff said wrapping her in a tight embrace as they kissed passionately.

Matt and Lita looked at the younger couple of the group and smiled. Matt kissed Lita then looked at his brother. "She's as crazy as you. You deserve each other with your crazy selves." he said laughing.

Over the next few months, Jeff had become the Intercontinental Champion and Hazel had an impressive feud with Trish to become the Women's Champion again. Lita had injured her neck and was out of action to recovery. Matt now became the third wheel to Jeff and Hazel. He now understood how lonely Jeff had felt before Hazel came into his life. Traveling constantly when you are the third wheel was exhausting. Hazel and Jeff tried to spend as much of their time with Matt to include him, but it was awkward because Matt clearly hated the arrangement. He began to think about the years before Lita or Hazel had entered the picture, back when it was just Jeff and him traveling together, going to bars, meeting girls, and just being brothers on the road living their dream together. He began to pull away from both Jeff and Hazel. He began hanging with other superstars and entered singles competitions. Jeff and Matt rarely tagged together anymore and even started traveling with other superstars to avoid the awkwardness of being stuck with his brother and his girlfriend constantly. Jeff seemed upset by the change but Hazel tried to comfort him by saying that when Lita returned everything would be ok again. Jeff seemed to take that as a strong possibility and let his brother find himself as a solo wrestler for the time being. Hazel and Jeff were involved in a lot of inter-gender matches and had created a few aerial moves that they preformed as a tag team. Hazel used aerial moves mixed with gymnastics in her matches. Matt wasn't excelling as much as he had hoped. Watching his younger brother become a main eventer was sickening to him. He began to feel jealousy over his brother's success and Jeff's relationship with Hazel. He wanted to be the stronger Hardy. The better Hardy. People only liked Jeff more because of his crazy stunts, but not his in ring ability. Jeff was a side show with his hair colors, ring gear, nail polish, and stunts; he didn't deserve to be more successful. The relationship with Hazel was also a thorn in his side; he didn't dislike Hazel. He actually really liked her all around. He couldn't stand how Jeff had a woman who had proven time and time again that she would put herself in harms way to protect Jeff. Hell, she'd even protected him from Stone Cold and Triple H not long ago and had taken chair shots trying to protect him when he wasn't even a nice person to her. Lita would never jump off of a cage to help him; she wouldn't take chair shots for him; she wasn't there for him the way Hazel was there for Jeff. He was beginning to hate his brother.

Hazel and Jeff were sitting in their hotel room watching something on tv just for background noise. Hazel was sketching in her book and Jeff was half asleep next to her on the bed. She pushed his hair from his face and began sketching. She tilted her head and a piece of her long brunette hair fell into her eyes. She brushed it away and continued to scribble. Jeff opened his eyes. He didn't realize he'd dozed off. "Sorry" he said groggily.

She laughed without looking at him. He smiled at her. "What are you working on?" he said sliding towards her. She protectively pushed her book to her chest and smiled. "Not yet." she laughed pointing for him to go back to his side of the bed.

He smiled at her as he laid back down. "You're beautiful."

She grinned as she sketched quickly. "Ok, done." she announced. "Ready?"

"Yeah." he said with excitement.

She smirked as she turned the book to face him. Jeff smiled. "Wow." he said as he took her book. He looked at the sketch, which was of him asleep. She had perfectly sketched his image. He set the book to the side of the bed and crawled towards her. She smiled. "Do you like it?"

"I love it. You are the most amazing person I've ever met." he said kissing her as he slowly pushed her down onto the bed. "I love you."

"I love you too." she said laughing as she pulled his body close to hers and kissed him.

A few weeks later, Jeff was waiting for Matt to arrive. He needed to talk to his brother, who had been absent for a while. Hazel was at a divas promo photo shoot so it was the perfect time to talk to his brother. Matt arrived and rounded the corner to see Jeff standing there. He felt something in the pit of his stomach when he saw his brother.

"Hey stranger." Jeff laughed giving him a light smack.

"Hey what's up." he asked as they entered the locker room.

"Haven't really talked to you lately, but I need to talk to you about something important."

Matt looked at Jeff and smirked. "What's going on?" he asked trying to seem interested.

"I wanted to talk to you about Hazel."

"Where is she anyway?"

Jeff smiled. "Diva's thing. Anyway, I know I love her."

Matt felt like he could vomit. Jeff neared his duffel bag and pulled out a box. Matt already knew what Jeff was going to say. Matt was disgusted. The hatred within him was growing. "We all know you love her. You act like this is a new development." he spat.

Jeff noted the uneasiness of the conversation. "Matt, I am going to ask her to marry me. She's the one for me."

Matt shrugged. "Ok, do you need my permission or something?"

"What's wrong with you?! I want you to be happy for us and be apart of it! She's going to be your sister!" Jeff screamed.

"Fine! Jeff, congrats. You have the perfect soon to be wife and a championship and everything else you've ever wanted! Seriously, congrats!" he screamed as he stormed out of the room.

Hazel was walking towards the locker room with the championship belt on her shoulder when the locker room swung open and almost hit her. Matt looked at her and sneered. Jeff was standing at the door. Hazel looked at both men and was confused about what was happening.

"You're a bastard, Matt!" Jeff yelled. "Always have been! You fucking cry baby!"

Matt didn't say anything to Jeff. He looked at Hazel and brushed passed her. "Congrats to the golden children!" he yelled over his shoulder.

Hazel gave Jeff a hug. "What in the world was that about?!"

"I have no clue what his issue is! He's jealous and acting like a damn bastard!" He huffed.

"Apparently." she sighed. "It's not your fault that you won a championship and he hasn't."

Later that night, Jeff was preparing for his match when Hazel was sitting in the cafeteria when Matt stormed in looking hostile. He saw her and did a hand gesture in her direction. She wasn't sure if it was a wave or a taunt. He approached her and sneered. "Hey triple H." he spat at her.

She narrowed her eyes. "What? Triple H?"

"Hazel Harper Hardy. Congrats little sister." he spat at her with a twisted smile.

She was confused. "What are you talking about?"

He laughed. "Like you don't know. You've had your hooks in him since day 1!"

Hazel looked at Matt with total confusion. "What are you talking about?!" she screamed jumping up from her chair. "What is wrong with you?!"

"Welcome to the family Undead Princess!" he screamed shoving her backwards. She stumbled and planted into the chair. Matt laughed as he walked away. "Congrats!"

She sat there in shock from Matt's actions. She jumped up and grabbed her sketch book and took off to find Jeff. As she walked she thought about Matt's words. 'Jeff's going to propose' she thought to herself. She headed towards the locker rooms hoping Jeff was still there. Thinking about the interaction with Matt made her cry. She was confused by Matt's anger. The fact that he'd pushed her was also weird and unsettling. The tears were brewing in her eyes as she saw Jeff putting on his boots. She raced towards him and threw her arms around him. Her force nearly made them both fall off of the chair. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and clung to him. He was taken aback by her actions. He slowly placed his hand on her back and ran it up and down trying to soothe her. He heard her soft cried and felt the cool tears on his neck.

"Haze, babe! What is it?!" he demanded slightly lifting her grasp so he could see her face. "What happened?"

She sobbed as she looked at him. "Matt..."

Jeff rolled his eyes. "What happened. Tell me everything." he said feeling his anger begin to brew.

She thought for a moment and composed herself. "He called me names and pushed me."

"Names? What names?"

"Undead Princess and Triple H."

Jeff was confused. "Triple H?"

She took a breath, "Hazel Harper Hardy."

Jeff was furious. "And he pushed you?"

She nodded her head. "I had no clue what he was talking about and he called me sister and welcomed me to the family."

Jeff ran his hands threw his hair. Matt had told her in so many words that Jeff was going to propose and had ruined his plan for a romantic proposal. Hazel stared at him. "Is it true?"

"Hmmm?" he questioned.

She looked at him. "You know what I'm asking."

He nodded his head. "Haze, you know I adore you. I always have. I am in love with you and I want to marry you. That dickhead ruined everything and I'm sorry. I had a whole romantic plan and I'm sorry it's ruined."

"It's not ruined. I love you and I don't need some big show." she said smiling. "I am so in love with you and I want my life to be with you always." she said smiling.

Jeff pulled her to her feet, dug into his pocket and grabbed the box, he smiled at her and lowered down to one knee. Hazel smiled and laughed as a tear slid down her cheek. Jeff looked at her and opened the box. Inside was a ring, but it didn't have a diamond. Instead was a sapphire. She smiled as he held the ring to her finger.

"Are you sure you wanna be stuck with this hick loser for the rest of your life?" he asked laughing.

"As long as you want the undead princess for the rest of you life."

Jeff laughed. "I definitely do."

She smiled. "Me too."

Jeff slipped the ring onto her finger and rose to give her a passionate kiss. He laughed. "I kind of like Triple H as a nickname."

"I do too... you know Matt will lose his mind if we use it."

"I'll take care of that later." he said smiling.


	14. Chapter 14

"Matt!" Jeff screamed as he charged his older brother. Matt turned to face his younger brother just as Jeff lunged at him and began punching him in the face and head. "You ruined everything you fucking son of a bitch!"

Matt was throwing punches into Jeff's ribs and face. Hazel appeared suddenly and began screaming for the brothers to stop as they were in a full on fight. They burst into the cafeteria were other superstars were eating and began fighting on the table. Hazel was screaming for someone to help as the brothers continued to destroy everything in their path.

"Stop it! Stop it now! Jeff! Matt!" she screamed to no avail.

Rey Mysterio and Christian jumped to help separate the two. By now there were security guards and referees involved. "You ruined everything you jealous cry baby!" Jeff screamed as Rey and others pulled him away from his brother. "I HATE you!" he screamed.

Matt laughed. "I hate you more!" Matt turned towards Hazel. "Undead Princess is here to stay right? You ruined everything!" he screamed pointing at her.

Jeff broke from the group and launched himself using a steel chair into the air and attacked Matt again. Hazel stood there watching in horror. Jeff punched Matt repeatedly in the face until Matt was bleeding. She ran her hands threw her hair. She knew that Matt's anger was because of her mere presence. He never seemed to trust or welcome her. The brothers were now separated but still screaming insults at each other.

Rey looked at Hazel and saw the pain on her face. "Hey, hey, hey..." he said pulling her into a hug as she began to sob. Rey placed his hand on the back of her head and held her as she cried. "Shhh..." he soothed. Jeff and Matt were still screaming at each other. Hazel pulled from Rey's hug to see what was going on. Rey tried to soothe her pain "Hazel, don't let Matt get under your skin. What happened?"

She looked at him with tears in her eyes. She brushed the tears from her cheeks and suddenly felt a hand on her back. She turned to see Jeff. He was still furious and wiping blood from his lip. "That son of a bitch ruined everything because he's a jealous piece of shit!" Jeff screamed so the entire cafeteria could hear it. The cafeteria was now full due to the commotion.

Matt was wiping blood from his face from being broken open by the fight. He laughed as Jeff screamed across the room. He began walking forward. "I'm not jealous! You chose to think with the wrong head and picked this slut over your own BLOOD!"

Hazel lunged before Jeff could. She charged Matt and slapped him hard across the face. "SLUT?! SLUT?! How dare you! Matt what is wrong with you?!"

Before Matt could answer Jeff was attacking him again. The referees and officials were quick to break it up. The brothers were drug apart quickly. Jeff was furious. "If you ever talk about my soon to be wife again I will break your jaw so you can't speak again!" Jeff screamed.

"You marry that UNDEAD PRINCESS and you will no longer be my brother!" Matt screamed. "EVER since she came into our lives you have forgotten who you are!"

Hazel was embarrassed. As the brothers continued to fight with each other a lot of personal low blows were being aired for everyone to hear. She'd had enough. "Matt, I needed surgery and almost lost my career because I saved you from getting beaten by a chair from Stone Cold and Triple H! DO you NOT remember that?! I protected you because I consider you to be my family! STOP this!"

Matt laughed at her. "You were never my family and I wish that injury had been the end of you!"

Hazel was wounded by his words. Jeff was attempting to free himself once more from the group. Hazel was about to cry.

Matt laughed as he watched her turn to leave. "Go cry! That's all you know how to do!"

Jeff was screaming as Hazel stormed passed him and disappeared from the room. Matt laughed as Jeff broke from the group but threw his hands into the air and turned to catch Hazel.

"Haze!" Jeff screamed as he chased her. She stopped at the sound of her name. She slowly turned and revealed her blotchy face from crying. Jeff pulled her into his body and held her tightly. She sobbed into his chest as he held her and tried to calm her. "Don't listen to a thing he says! He's a jealous bastard!"

Rey and Christian were walking towards them. Even though Christian was friends with Edge, he'd always been respectful towards Hazel and considered her to be his friend. Hazel sobbed as she clung to him. Rey looked at them both and put his hand onto Hazel's back.

"I have no clue what is going on, but Hazel, you are a great person. Don't let him get to you!" Rey said to her.

"We just wanted to make sure you both were ok." Christian said.

Jeff nodded his head. "Matt has lost his fucking mind and has ruined everything!" Hazel was wiping the tears from her eyes and cheeks facing the three men.

"Ruined what?" Rey asked.

Hazel shook her head. "It wasn't ruined."

Jeff ran his hands threw his purple and blue hair. "We're engaged. I told Matt because I had a whole plan and I wanted his help. He has some jealousy and hatred for me now and he ended up telling Hazel and ruined EVERYTHING!"

Hazel looked at Jeff. "It wasn't ruined, it was still perfect." she said kissing his cheek.

Rey and Christian nodded their heads. "Congratulations!" Rey said giving Jeff a high five and Hazel a peck on the cheek. He laughed as he kissed her. "Hey sorry man, no disrespect! I had to kiss her one last time before she's officially off of the market!"

Jeff and Hazel laughed. Rey was one of their best friends. "Nah, man, one little peck on the cheek doesn't bother me one bit."

"Seriously though, I'm happy for you both!" Rey said.

Christian nodded in agreement. "If you need a best man since Matt obviously isn't on board, you know you have 2 back us right here."

Hazel laughed but was upset by the thought that Matt didn't seem to be on board with the engagement. Christian left to get ready for his match. Suddenly an official came towards them, "Jeff, they want to see you up at the office."

"Shit! You're going to be in trouble!" Hazel said suddenly.

"I don't really care. Hey Rey, can you please stay with her until I get back?"

"Of course man! I won't let anyone upset her."

"Thanks" he said kissing her and leaving the room.

Hazel flopped on the couch and pulled her knees to her chest. Rey sat next to her. "So,"

"So what?"

Rey smirked "Let's see the rock!"

Hazel smiled and extended her hand to show him. He held her hand and kissed it lightly. "Beautiful, why a sapphrie?"

"It's my birthstone." she said smiling. "Jeff knows I'm not into fancy, flashy things and I like to be different. Everyone who gets engaged has diamond rings, big flashy diamonds and that's just not who I am."

"Jeff knows you like the back of his hand... I've known for a while actually." Rey said grinning. "I've been waiting to hear the announcement since Jeff told us that he'd decided to take that leap..."

Hazel smiled and blushed. "So everyone knew but me?"

"Not everyone, but he told Shannon, Shane, and I a few weeks ago. I'm pretty sure Shannon and Shane went with him to buy it..." Rey said laughing.

"Actually, Shannon picked the ring. We had it down to 2 rings and Shannon picked the rose gold band..." Jeff said as he walked towards them. Hazel jumped hearing his voice. Jeff laughed as he flopped on the couch next to her.

"I didn't hear you come in!" she squealed.

"Obviously! And just so you know, I'm very surprised that until Matt ruined it none of these gossip queens let it slip."

Hazel smiled looking at her ring. "I love my ring. You nailed it."

"I had it down to two and couldn't decide so Shannon picked the rose gold band over the silver one..." Jeff laughed. "Both were sapphires because you are my September baby." he smiled as he kissed her cheek.

Hazel was so involved in the conversation about the ring that she'd completely forgotten about Jeff's call to see the boss. "What'd they say?"

"Well, they basically told me that since Matt and I have issues and since we destroyed the cafeteria, that they are going to give us a chance to work out our problems in an enclosed structure so we only destroy each other, nothing else..." Jeff said smiling.

Rey laughed knowing what he was leading up to. Hazel sighed. "Cage match?"

"Even better... hell in a cell..."

Hazel turned ghost white. She'd seen plenty of Hell in a Cell matches. Her brother was the king of them. Everyone remembered that Taker almost killed Mankind twice in the same night in the cell. She sighed knowing that the match was set, and there was no turning back now. "When?" she asked.

"Backlash." Jeff said sitting back. "We have a match later tonight against Ivory and Stephen Richards."

Rey stood up and gave Hazel a hug then gave Jeff a fist pound. "I'll let you two relax for a bit before your match. You guys want to do dinner tonight? Get a few people together and hit a Dennys or something afterwards?"

"Sounds good man." Jeff said. Hazel gave him a smile as she nodded her head.

Christian was getting ready for his match when Edge burst threw the locker room door. "Is it true?" he demanded.

"Is what true?"

"Oh come on everyone knows that those hick losers just got into a huge fight in the cafeteria. So is it true?"

Christian looked at Edge. "Yes, Jeff and Hazel are engaged. Matt and Jeff are having all types of issues right now but it's over more than the actual engagement."

Edge smiled.

Christian stood up and pointed his finger at Edge. "Don't get involved or stir up anything!"

Edge put his over his chest and tried to look offended. "Me? Me stir something up? Never..."

"I mean it. Leave Hazel alone." Christian demanded.


	15. Chapter 15

Jeff was lacing up his boots when Hazel emerged from the bathroom in her ring gear. Jeff smiled at her as she walked towards him. She adjusted her shorts and her top as she did a last once over of herself in the mirror. She pulled her long curly brown hair up into a messy bun and twisted the few pieces that hung freely so they curled around her face. Jeff's pink belt matched her pink and silver gear. She smiled at him as he walked behind her and pulled her into a hug. He could see something was on her mind. He kissed her cheek as he locked his arms around her waist. Some of his paint wasn't fully dry and smeared onto her. Jeff wiped it from her arm and smiled at her.

"What is it?"

"Nothing. I'm fine." she lied.

He laughed softly. "Liar." he whispered into her ear. "You're not afraid of Ivory are you?" he asked laughing.

She laughed as she looked at their reflection in the mirror. "Please... Ivory should be afraid of me."

He kissed her neck. "So let's go make quick work of them and come back here so we can get a shower together..." he said raising his eyebrows.

She laughed and lightly smacked his hand that was on her waist.

He spun her around to face him. "Seriously, tell me what's on your mind. Don't let Matt ruin your mood. He has always been an epic cry baby when he doesn't get his way."

"He doesn't want you to marry me! He hates me! He said all those awful things and I don't want to be the reason you aren't talking to your brother or are constantly beating the hell out of each other! I don't want you to marry me and regret that you lost your brother over me!" she sobbed out of nowhere.

Jeff was stunned. "Hey, hey, hey! Listen to me right now! Matt hates me not you! He can't accept the fact that my career is going better or that I'm more over with the fans. He can't get to me because I know he's just being a brat plus with Lita not being here he's jealous because he doesn't have anyone! He gets how I felt for years watching them when I was alone. Only difference I was happy they were happy. Matt doesn't know how to be happy for anyone unless he has the same things! He can't get under my skin because I see through his act but he knows he can get under yours because you genuinely care about him and take what he says to be true, not just hurtful things he says to make you feel as shitty as he feels. Trust me, he's sitting somewhere feeling like a smacked asshole but he'll never apologize to me because he can't admit he's wrong. Hazel, he loves you. He is just trying to make everyone miserable."

She sniffled. "What if you're wrong?"

"Then he loses me as his brother and I have a beautiful wife who loves me and cares for me like I never could have imagined was possible."

She looked at him.

"What? If I'm wrong and he's serious, you wouldn't marry me because of him?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't want you to regret marry me if you know you'll lose your brother."

He kissed her hands. "I will never regret loving you. If he can't be happy for me then that's his problem. I got your ring from a shop in Cameron. My dad knows and he's excited to finally have a daughter. You know Gil loves you. If Matt keeps this up, Gil will end up beating sense into him."

Hazel smiled. "Gil knows?"

"I talked to my dad for the past few months about it. I knew what I felt but I was scared. I wasn't sure if it was too soon or if it would scare you because we're so young."

She laughed. "So young?"

"Haze, you're only 22. I didn't want to rush into anything. I thought long and hard about this for months. I can't remember my life before you and I can't imagine waking up without you next to me or seeing your smile everyday for the rest of my life. You love all my weirdness and you never tried to change me. You love me for me and I know that."

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you Hardy."

"So can ya please stop getting upset over Matthew and just be happy?" he said as he made puppy dog eyes at her. "Plus I know you want to throw Ivory around the ring, that always cheers you up."

She smiled at nodded her head. She looked in the mirror. Her make up was smeared from crying. She grabbed her makeup bag and quickly reapplied her eyeliner. Jeff pulled on his signature arm bands and waited for her. "I got you something..."

She raised her eyebrow. "What else did you get me?"

"Close your eyes and hold out your arms." he laughed.

Hazel held out her arms and felt Jeff tugging on them. "Open." he announced.

She looked down and saw that Jeff had made her armbands like his that matched her gear. "I wasn't sure if you had the pink or the purple shorts tonight so I had both ready."

It was the first time she'd ever worn the bands like Jeff. Everyone knew they were together, but Hazel and Jeff had kept their own ring gear.

She kissed his lips. "I love them."

"I figured since you wear bustier tops the bands would be awesome and I'll make them for you to match all your gear." he said smiling. "Now let's get this show started!" he said as he took her hand into his. "Only thing my love, you can't wear the rock in the match. Concealed weapon." he said laughing as he slid the ring from her finger and placed it into his duffle.

Matt was sitting in the locker room brooding over the earlier fight with Jeff. He felt bad for the things he'd said to Hazel. He wasn't mad at her. Deep down he wasn't mad at Jeff either. He felt alone without Lita and he felt like his career would never hit the peak he thought it would. Thinking back to Hazel, he knew she was somewhere feeling completely hurt over his words and he regretted it. He saw the look in her eyes when he was yelling at her. He knew she was a good girl and didn't deserve to be screamed at because he was angry. He was watching their match on the monitor and saw that they were semi-matching. Hazel had arm bands like Jeff, and Jeff's pink belt matched her gear. Hazel's aerial ability had improved over the past few months and watching her matches was actually pretty exciting because she was as unpredictable as Jeff. Hazel Irish-whipped Ivory into the corner and did three cartwheels to deliver a hard elbow to her jaw. At one point, Stephen Richards interfered and grabbed Hazel's arm causing her to hit the mat hard. Jeff jumped into the ring and began attacking him. Jeff whipped Richards into the corner and dropped to all fours. Hazel ran and performed poetry in motion on Richards as payback for his interference. Jeff got the pin and they made their way to the back. Matt had watched the entire match and thought about the events earlier. His lip was puffy from the fight with Jeff. He sighed as he heard a lot of commotion in the hallway. He walked out to see a crowd around Jeff and Hazel. Everyone was congratulating them on their engagement and Matt's jealousy was refueled.

"Why is it that no matter where I am, it's always about the two of you?!" he screamed making his presence known.

Hazel and Jeff turned to see him approaching them.

"Always about you two. Your wins, your matches, your engagement... it's sickening!" he continued.

"Matt, stop! Just get out of here!" Rey said trying to avoid another backstage brawl.

Matt laughed as he shoved Rey out of his way. Jeff protectively stepped in front of Hazel as Matt neared them. "How cute, you guys even match now!"

"Matt, stop." Jeff commanded.

"No, brother! No! For once it's not always about the two of you!" Matt screamed. "I'm the superior Hardy! I have been since we were kids. People only cheer for you because of your insane risks! That's why you will break your neck long one day!"

Rey was standing next to Jeff watching Matt. Jeff was trying not to feed into Matt's ridiculousness. "It's not my fault you can't win a title! Wait yes you can! The tag titles... with ME!"

The group of superstars all reacted to the low blow comment with various sound effects.

Matt's rage was boiling now.

Jeff smiled. "Hell, 'superior' Hardy huh? Hazel is more superior than you! She's won the Women's title more times than you've won a single's title."

"SHE'S not even a Hardy!" he screamed getting closer to Jeff.

"Not yet but very soon she will be!" Jeff spat at him. The brothers were toe to toe, staring holes into each other.

"She will never be a Hardy! I forbid it!" Matt screamed.

Rey instinctively grabbed Hazel out of the way as the two brothers lunged for each other. "Oh you forbid it?!"

Hazel screamed as Jeff pounced on Matt like a rabid dog and began smashing his head into the ground. "Stop Jeff! Please!" she screamed.

Jeff got up and spit on Matt. Hazel looked at Jeff as he came towards her. Matt was to his feet wiping the spit from his arm. "Not married yet and we all already know who wears the pants around here..." Matt laughed.

Jeff turned on his heels and charged towards Matt. Hazel ran and jumped between the two. "Stop it! Stop it now!"

Suddenly someone else screamed and broke Jeff from his rage. Matt also stopped but not because of the scream. During her attempt to separate the two, Matt had swung and inadvertently punched Hazel, instead of Jeff. Matt backed away slowly when he realized that Hazel was lying on the ground not moving. Jeff was on his knees next to Hazel. Matt stood there watching knowing that he had hit her hard in the side of the head. Jeff was trying to get an unconscious Hazel to give any signs of life. Matt was in shock, he hadn't meant to hit her. She jumped in the middle so fast that he hadn't realized until he hit her, that it was her.

"Get out of here!" Rey and others screamed at Matt.

He slowly backed away still watching Hazel. Hoping she'd sit up or at least move. Jeff had completely forgotten about the fight. He was only concerned with Hazel.

"Haze," he screamed as he tried shaking her but there wasn't any change. "Oh my God!" he screamed. "Get help!"

The EMTs were already running towards them. Jeff was beside himself with grief. Rey was kneeling next to him. "He didn't mean to hit her. I saw his face."

Jeff's eyes shot to Rey. "What?!"

"Matt punched her..." Rey said softly.

Jeff ran his hands over his face. He had truly believed that he'd struck her.

"Yeah, he hit her hard and I saw his face, he looked like a ghost when he realized he hit her, not you." Rey continued.

Hazel was still unconscious. The EMTs announced that they needed to get her to the hospital. Jeff was sobbing as he held her hand in the ambulance. Rey told Jeff that he'd gather their stuff from the locker room and be right behind them at the hospital.

"Her ring's in my duffle. I need her ring." Jeff cried.

Rey nodded his head. "I'll be up there in a bit! I promise!" He watched the ambulance pull out of the arena parking lot and took off towards the locker rooms. He passed Matt in the hallway. Matt was crying. "Is she ok?"

"She's still out, man." Rey said shaking his head sadly.

"Oh my God!" Matt cried. "I never meant to hit her, I swear Rey. I didn't realize she was there until it was too late!"

"I saw your face. I know you didn't mean to hit her. I don't know if that fact is going to matter to Jeff though."

Matt ran his hands through his hair. "I gotta go to the hospital."

Rey grabbed his arm. "I don't think this is the best time to go running up there man..."

"No, I need to see Hazel."

"Jeff isn't going to let you anywhere near her! Whether you meant to or not you drilled the shit out of her and Jeff is going to kill you for it." Rey said.

Matt hung his head low. "If he's going to kill me, the hospital is the best place for me I guess." Matt said.

Rey shook his head. "Go to the hotel. I'll tell Jeff you wanted to come up and all, but go to the hotel."

"I guess I really picked the wrong night to visit..."

Matt's face shot up to see Lita standing there. "What in the world have you done?"


	16. Chapter 16

Lita stared at Matt and Rey. "What have you done Matt?"

Matt hung his head in shame. He knew that no matter if he had intended it or not, he'd hit Hazel and that was unforgivable.

Lita neared him. "You punched Hazel?!"

"I thought it was Jeff... but yes." he said.

"Why are you trying to punch Jeff? What is going on?"

"I'm going to get out of here and get their stuff up to the hospital. Matt, please don't come up there. I'll call you but please don't come up there because Jeff and Hazel have had enough of you today." Rey said as he left.

Lita turned back to her boyfriend. "What are you thinking?"

"It's been all about them since you got hurt. I was always with them and all everyone talked about was them, their relationship, their matches, now their engagement."

"You're seriously jealous and you are fighting with Jeff for stuff that isn't his fault?! It's not his fault I got hurt! It's not his fault that Hazel loves him! It's not his fault he won a belt! Why can't you be happy for your brother? He was happy for us long before Hazel came into his life... speaking of Hazel, why are you treating her badly? She's never done anything to you! Matt what is wrong with you?!" she screamed.

"I don't know! I am sick of being the other Hardy!" he screamed.

Lita laughed. "You know why I'm here? Do you?"

Matt shook his head.

"Hazel called me and told me you haven't been yourself and that Jeff is torn up over it. She wanted to know what to do to help." Lita smiled. "The girl you hate, the girl you blame for everything wrong in your life, she called me because she was worried about you and that's why I came."

Matt was embarrassed now. Hazel was a kind, sweet person and now because of him, he didn't even know if she was okay. Lita shook her head. "Rey's right, you can't go to the hospital. Jeff will flip out and you just need to go to the hotel and let this situation calm down."

"I know."

"You messed up bad."

"I know."

"I'm going to the hospital to see my best friends and hopefully I'll talk Jeff out of killing you."

"You're going to go see them, instead of be with me?"

"You aren't the Matt I know. The Matt I know would never fight his brother or hit a woman." she turned to leave.

At the hospital a bunch of superstars were in the waiting room to hear news about Hazel. Jeff was sitting with Trish and Christian. Since their epic feud, Trish and Hazel had become best friends and Jeff and Trish's relationship was complete history. Jeff was beside himself over the situation. All he could think about were two things; Hazel, and getting his hands on Matt. He never thought this could happen. He felt like he was in a nightmare. His only brother clearly hated him, and had punched his fiance unconscious. Whether he intended to hit Hazel or not, he had hit her and he needed to be dealt with for that. Lita walked into the waiting room with Rey and walked towards Jeff.

"Jeff, how is she?" Lita said giving him a tight hug.

"No word yet." he sighed.

"Here's your duffel." Rey said handing the bag to him. "I made sure I got everything."

Jeff frantically grabbed the bag and dug into it until he found Hazel's engagement ring. He looked at it and pulled it to his chest as he began to cry again.

Lita and Trish both began to comfort him. "She's tough, she'll be fine." Trish said.

"Matt wanted to come but Rey and I told him no." Lita said.

Jeff shot her a look.

"He's torn up, Jeff, he's a baby and all but he never meant to hit her, I know that." Lita said.

"I don't care if he meant to or not; he's been ignorant to her, talking to her rudely, he shoved her and then knocked her unconscious. I don't care if he is torn up! He will be when I'm done with him." Jeff was irate. "Not to mention he ruined my proposal to her because he's a jealous asshole!"

Lita looked at him. "I know, Hazel told me. Hazel called me because she was worried about Matt and thought if I visited I could help."

Jeff laughed. "See, he blames her for everything but she's gone out of her way for him but he doesn't see it. "

"He's just mad that his career isn't where yours is." Trish said. "And mad that Lita's been out."

Jeff nodded his head. "Pretty much."

Taker and Kane were at the hospital waiting to hear news on their baby sister. They were furious with both Matt and Jeff for their childish fight, but they also had been informed that Hazel had jumped between the two brothers when she was struck. The doctor came out and Taker went to talk to him, calling to get Jeff's attention. Trish nudged Jeff at the sight of the doctor, and he quickly ran towards Taker and the doctor.

"How is she?" Jeff asked.

"Are you family?" the doctor asked.

"Her fiance." Taker said. "Not that he asked our permission but that's another story."

The doctor nodded his head. "She's conscious. A little confused about what happened. We did a CAT scan and she has minor swelling consistent with a concussion. She's going to have a headache and tenderness in that area of her head for a week or so until it heals. I don't see any reason to keep her over night. We'll be discharging her shortly. Just make sure she gets plenty of rest."

"Thanks Doctor." Taker said. "Go see her. I know you will handle your brother for all of this, even though I know Hazel jumped into the fight."

Jeff nodded his head. "Vince already made the match."

Taker nodded his head. "Jeff, you promised to protect her, I know it's hard to protect someone who puts herself into situations. I Know you will handle your brother and he will never put his hands on my sister again."

Jeff looked at his future brother-in-law. "I will handle it."

Jeff followed a nurse into the back of the emergency room and he saw Hazel laying on the bed. She smiled at him as he entered the room. He kissed her forehead. "I'm so sorry." She smiled at kissed his hand that held hers. Jeff drew out her ring from his pocket and slipped it onto her finger. "I'm not doing a great job of keeping you safe my love."

Hazel shook her head. "I jumped into between you two... please Jeff, don't blame yourself."

"I do blame myself. I shouldn't have let him get under my skin like that." Jeff said softly.

Hazel looked at him. "Jeff, please don't blame Matt for this."

His eyes shot to hers. "You're seriously going to protect him after this?!"

"Matt's a lot of things but I know he didn't punch me on purpose. I jumped in the middle and it's my fault I got hit! Please Jeff, please don't continue this feud with Matt." she begged.

Jeff shook his head. He looked into her eyes. "Haze, I love you and I usually take your opinions into consideration but this time no matter what you say, I'm going to have the hell in the cell match with him! He said all those hurtful things and whether he did it on purpose or not he hit you so I'm going to make him pay. I love you and I don't want you to be mad at me, but this is happening regardless of what you or Lita say."

Hazel looked at him. "I understand."

He kissed her. "Lita's out there."

"I know, I told her to come visit because of Matt not being himself." she said.

"You're amazing, you know that right?" Jeff said smiling.

After she was discharged from the hospital, Jeff took Hazel home to his house in Cameron. Matt had attempted to contact them over and over but Jeff had nothing to say him. Their match was set for Sunday and they would work out everything then. Matt sent flowers to the house for Hazel but Jeff still wouldn't talk to him. Lita had tried calling to get Jeff on the phone for Matt, but Jeff refused to talk to him. Even their father had asked Jeff to talk to his brother when he stopped over to check on his soon to be daughter. Hazel wasn't happy with the break between the brothers but she knew it was about to get worse come Sunday. She'd spoken to Lita and both of the girls were dreading the match. Hazel wasn't mad at Matt and had asked Lita to pass the message along with Matt. She was hurt and confused by Matt's anger towards her and the horrible things he'd said to her. Gil gave her a hug. He knew that she blamed herself for the fight between the brothers.

"Darling, I see it all over your face. This isn't your fault. Matt can't deal with the way his life is right now and he is lashing out at you. My boys will work out their issues but please don't blame yourself for any of this. Matt is probably mad that Jeff proposed to you because he hasn't proposed to Lita. I don't think Matt knows that Lita is his soul mate the way Jeff knows your are his and that's another issue. " Gil smiled at her. "I've known since the day I met you that you'd be my daughter one day. You make Jeff happier than I ever remember him being before."

Hazel hugged him. "Thanks. It's definitely helps but I still feel like this is about to get worse before it gets better."

Jeff woke up the morning of Backlash and to his surprise Hazel wasn't in bed next to him. He wiped the sleep from his eyes and began to look around the house for her. She wasn't in the bathroom or in the computer room. She wasn't in the living room or the kitchen. He was beginning to worry as he walked around the house. "Haze?" he called but never got a response. He heard his dogs barking out in the yard as he neared the backdoor. She was sitting on the porch with her sketchpad on her lap. She looked up at him and smiled. "I couldn't sleep." she muttered.

"Are you ok?" he asked as he sat down next to her. He looked at her sketch and saw the upset look in her eyes.

"I can't get this sketch right. I can't get it to look right... I can't concentrate. My brain is a jumble of thoughts and ideas but I just can't get them out of my head and onto the paper. I'm so frustrated!" she yelled throwing the book into the yard.

He'd never seen her like this before. "Haze, I know you have a lot of thoughts about tonight but you just have to let it happen. I know you are trying to protect him by putting the blame on yourself but he brought this onto himself. He has been disrespectful to you and I can't just let that be ignored. You have a concussion because of him. He blames us for everything wrong in his life and he isn't going to disrespect you and get away with it. I'm sorry but I'm not going to let it slide."

"He's your brother!" she screamed.

"And he's going to be yours soon enough whether he likes it or not!"

Hazel felt like the world was spinning around her and she was powerless to stop it. "You can't have this match!" she screamed.

Jeff ran his hands threw his hair. "Haze, it's happening! End of story!"

She shot him a nasty look. "You are a team! This will destroy everything!"

"HE destroyed our team! Not me! Not you!" Jeff screamed at her.

Hazel jumped to her feet. "Then let's get ready to get this blood bath over with!" she yelled trying to pass him.

He grabbed her wrist. "I'm not going to fight you on this. It's happening!"

"Let me go." she said sternly.

"Haze!" he yelled.

She refused to look at him. She tugged her arm from his grip. He sighed trying to understand. Since the concussion, she was highly emotional and quick to frustration. The doctors had told him that stress was a normal side-effect when it comes to concussions. He relented and released her arm in an attempt to calm any aggravation. She looked at him. She'd been so mixed up and confused the past few days. She couldn't concentrate on anything, including her sketching which was driving her crazy. She grabbed the bridge of her nose and tried to bring her thoughts into focus. Jeff noted the change and he looked at her. She looked weak and unsteady on her feet.

"Haze? What is it?"

She heard his words, but it sounded like she was underwater. She looked at him and saw the look of concern on his face. "I can't think." she mustered.

He looked at her sadly. "I get it, Haze, I understand what is going on?"

She wondered what he was referring to, because she hadn't been able to put any of her feelings into a thought out statement. "What?" she asked softly.

He walked towards her and put his arm around her shoulder. "Since the night with Matt, you haven't been yourself and you are worried that Matt hurt you worse than you let on but it's wearing on you now."

She bit her lip.

"It doesn't matter if he meant to or not; he hit you and it doesn't matter if he gave you a fat lip or a concussion! He hit you and that's enough of a problem that I need to handle! I know you are protecting him because that's who you are but I need to protect you! I love you! Just let me be a man and protect you!" he yelled feeling the emotion building in his voice.

She looked at him and felt sad. "I'm not protecting Matt... I'm protecting you..."

Jeff looked at her with confusion. "Haze? What are you talking about?"

She avoided his eyes. "I love you and I know you love me. What are you going to do if your brother hitting me ruined me? You won't stop until he isn't moving and I can't let you put yourself threw that!"

Her words made sense to him finally. Hazel was terrified that everything she was feeling wasn't normal and she was worried that Matt had broken her beyond the point of no return. She hadn't talked to him, or anyone about how terrible she was feeling because she was afraid of what would happen.

"And I know you won't want me if I'm broken and you will blame Matt for destroying me. I don't want to be the reason you lose your brother!" she began to sob.

Jeff wrapped her tightly into his arms and held her head close to his chest. "I will always want you, Haze! I will always love you and you will always have my heart even if you don't believe it right now! You are just under a lot of stress but the doctors told us it can take weeks before you'll feel better! You thinking you're broken is just the concussion talking!"


	17. Chapter 17

Jeff managed to get Hazel to lay down for a while before they needed to leave for the show. Jeff was now rethinking if taking her with him would be the best idea based on the events of the morning. He looked down on her as she slept. She'd fallen asleep in his arms, her head resting on his chest. He stroked the hair away from her face as he slept. He had no clue what to do to help her or how to prove to her that he'd always want and love her. The idea that he would leave her was tearing her up and he had no clue how to prove to her that he never would leave her. Seeing Hazel in so much pain was destroying him inside because he knew that the only reason she suddenly had all these doubts was because of the concussion. The more he thought about it, the more his anger towards Matt was reignited. If Matt hadn't hit Hazel, she wouldn't be going through all this now. He closed his eyes and tried to clear his head but he couldn't find any peace. Between his anger at his brother and his helplessness when it came to Hazel, he didn't know what to do. He wanted to see that spark in her eyes again. It felt like it'd been longer than the few days since he'd seen it. He carefully moved her sleeping body onto the bed as he carefully slipped from underneath of her. He made sure he hadn't awoken her as he rose from the bed.

He began to pack his duffle. He wondered if he should just call his dad and leave Hazel at home so he didn't need to disrupt her. A smirk crossed his face. He knew if circumstances had been any different, she would be angry knowing he'd considered leaving her at home instead of having her at his side. He found her duffle and began packing her clothes as well. Since she wasn't approved for action, he didn't worry about packing her ring gear. He looked in on her once more before going downstairs to put their bags into the car. He couldn't shake the look of fear in her eyes from earlier that morning. He looked at his phone and dialed Matt's number. He pinched the bridge of his nose as the phone rang.

"Hello?"

Jeff tried to find the words. Matt's voice was calm. "Jeff? Is that you? Jeff? I'm sorry. How's Hazel?"

"I just wanted to ask you something." he spoke calmly.

"Anything?"

"Hazel thinks she's damaged because of the concussion. She thinks I'm going to stop loving her and leave because she's broken..."

"Jeff... I am sorry about Hazel..."

"That wasn't my question. My question is what am I supposed to do to convince the love of my life that she isn't broken?"

Before Matt could answer, the phone disconnected. Matt looked at Lita and shook his head.

"What's wrong?"

"Hazel isn't doing well. I can hear it in Jeff's voice. It's all my fault..."

Lita looked at Matt. She knew he felt terrible about hitting Hazel but she also knew that Jeff was beside himself with grief over Hazel's injury. She gave Matt a small smile. "Hazel will be ok with time. It takes time to get over a concussion. I know she doesn't blame you."

"Yeah, she might not, but Jeff definitely does!" Matt interjected.

Jeff went back into the house and heard music playing upstairs. He went up the steps and heard the shower running. There was a stack of clothes folded on the edge of the bed. He slowly walked towards the bathroom and saw the door was half opened. "Haze?" he called.

"Yeah?" she yelled over the running water.

Jeff opened the door and stood in the doorway watching her form in the shower. "Are you ok?"

She popped her head out of the curtain. Water running down her face and hair. She laughed and smiled at him. "Yeah? Why didn't you wake me up? We're going to be late!"

He smiled slightly. Seeing her body silhouette and hearing her laugh made him happy. She sounded like herself. She sounded happy. She looked at him oddly. She turned off the shower and reached for her towel. Water dripped from her long, dark hair. He smiled at her as she wrapped the towel around her body. She looked at him. "Are YOU ok?" she asked laughing slightly.

He saw the sparkle in her eyes that had been faded for days. He felt himself relax and for the first time in days, he relaxed. She stood in front of him, concern filled her eyes. "Babe? What's wrong?"

He pulled her tightly into a hug. Her wet hair pressed on his chest. He wrapped his hands around her and held her tightly. He began to cry. She was back. His Hazel was back. She wrapped her arms around his waist. "Jeff, babe? What's wrong?"

"I've missed you so much Haze." he cried softly.

She pulled slightly away from him. She looked at him with confusion. "What are you talking about? I've been with you. I'm always right with you? How long was I asleep? What's wrong? Please talk to me!" she pushed away from him and looked into his eyes. His eyes connected with hers. Her confusion filled her face. "Jeff? You're scaring me!"

"I'm sorry. I'm not trying to scare you. Ever since that fight with Matt and your concussion, you've been here physically but you haven't been here. You haven't been you and I missed you. I needed MY Haze. I needed your smile and your laugh." he said crying. He covered his eyes trying to compose himself.

She looked at him. Tears brewing in her eyes.

"Haze, please don't cry. I'm not trying to upset you. You've been here with me, but you have been scared and anxious. Very not you. I know it's because of the concussion, the doctors told us you'd need time to get back to yourself and I didn't realize how much I loved you until this!" he sobbed pulling her into another tight hug. "I love you! I need you! Please don't ever leave me because I can't survive without you. It was killing me to see you so upset and mad and anxious." he rambled.

"I'm so sorry I put you through this pain! I will always be with you!" she sobbed into his chest.

He placed both hands onto her face and looked into her eyes. He wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled at her. She reached to his face and wiped the tears from his face. She pulled him into a passionate kiss. She twirled his hair in her fingers as they kissed. He wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her against his body. She pushed his body against the wall as they kissed. She pulled away and smiled at him. She smiled as she felt the wetness on his shirt. "You need to change this shirt." she laughed as she broke their embrace and ran her hands down his chest to his hips. She tugged the shirt over his head and began kissing his neck. "I need you Hardy." she whispered into his ear as she returned to kissing his neck. She ran her fingers along his hips and unhooked his belt. He pushed her against the wall and began kissing her again.

"I love you, Mrs. Hardy."

She laughed sweetly at the sound of her name. "Maybe in a few years, we take some time away from the WWE and have a few little Hardys running around and jumping off of ladders into tables..."

Jeff thought for a moment as her words hit him. "You'd give up WWE to have babies?"

She smiled. "Of course I want to have babies with you! I love you and you are my life, my family, my universe."

He picked her up with a swift motion and pulled her into a kiss. She laughed as he carried her into their bedroom and he lowered her onto the bed. She shoved the pile of clothes to the floor and unbuttoned his pants. "I want my life to be with you, always." she said as he undressed and slowly undid her towel. She laughed as he began kissing her neck and running his hands down her soft skin. "You are my everything, Hazel." he said as he kissed her.

Matt stood with Lita. He was anxious to see Jeff. Their match was later that night but he hadn't seen Jeff arrive yet. Lita smiled at him. "You need to relax."

"You didn't hear his voice. What if Hazel is really hurt? What if it's really bad? No one has seen her..."

"Your dad saw them..." she cut him off trying to ease his stress. "He said Jeff wasn't murderous and Hazel wasn't exactly herself, but he would have told you if Hazel was really different or banged up. Your dad would tell you, Matt."

"He said she was scared she was damaged and broken. He said she was afraid he'd put her to the side because she was broken. His voice. His pain. It echoes in my head!"

They stood in the cafeteria area. Other superstars were coming and going. They looked at Matt with disgust. He felt the eyes on him and felt uncomfortable. Edge and Christian walked in and saw the couple. Edge smirked. "Looks like someone is hated more than me around here." he laughed.

"Stop it!" Christian said hitting Edge's shoulder.

"No, man, you wanna become the most hated person in the company, have an issue with the Undead Princess. She's the golden child. Always has been. Thanks for taking the heat off of me... seriously dude.."

"Just shut up," Matt yelled.

"Dude, stop." Christian cautioned.

"You destroyed her worse than I did. I didn't scramble her brain and make her crazy." Edge laughed.

"What do you mean?" Matt screamed.

"Stop!" Christian yelled.

Edge laughed. "Hazel talked to Christian. She's all messed up. Good job. Ooooh, you haven't talked to Jeff or Hazel I take it?"

Christian shoved Edge. "Stop it!"

Lita looked concerned. "Christian, you talked to Hazel? She seemed ok when I talked to her. What are you saying?"

Christian sighed. "She's not sleeping and the insomnia is making her anxiety come out. I told her it's normal with concussions to try to calm her down. Jeff has been by her side and he's just mentally exhausted."

Rey Mysterio ran into the cafeteria. "They're here."

"Jeff's going to destroy you. Nice knowing you." Edge laughed.

Hazel and Jeff walked towards the locker room hand in hand. Superstars and crew alike ran to their side to see her. Hazel was undeniably the most loved superstar. With the exception of a few minor situations, she didn't have bad blood with anyone. Matt and Lita walked towards them. Jeff protectively pushed Hazel behind him as Matt approached. He glared at his brother with daggers in his eyes. Lita stood back looking awkwardly at the brothers, and her best friend. Other superstars watched the awkward exchange. Matt looked past his brother to Hazel. He took a deep breath. "Hazel, are you ok? You know I never meant to hurt you. I hope to God with all my heart you know that!"

Jeff stepped towards his brother. "Don't you talk to her! Get away from her! Get away from me! I have no brother!"

Hazel grabbed Jeff's arm. "Please, stop."

Jeff tugged his arm from her grip. "No, he has no right to even THINK about looking in your direction after what he did!"

"Jeff, please?" Hazel begged.

"No, he can apologize for the rest of his life and it means NOTHING!" he screamed. "I can't even LOOK at you!" he screamed as he grabbed Hazel's arm and led her back towards their locker room. "Stay away from my wife!" he screamed over his shoulder.

Matt looked at Lita. "Wife? Did they run away and get married?!"

Lita shrugged her shoulders. "She never said anything to me."

Matt ran his hands threw his hair. "Please go see if you can talk to her. Please, I need to know that she's ok."

Lita nodded her head as she kissed his cheek. She turned to leave and began following Jeff and Hazel.

Edge smiled. He was loving the turn of events.


	18. Chapter 18

Jeff stormed into the locker room and threw his duffle bag against the wall. "I can't believe the NERVE of him!" he screamed. Hazel watched as he flopped onto the couch and ran his hands threw his hair angrily. She sighed as she approached him. She touched his arm and gave him a slight smile. Jeff thought about how in his rage, he had pulled Hazel. He frowned. "Sorry, Haze. I really am."

She looked at him with confusion in her eyes.

"Back there, when I pulled you. I'm sorry. I don't want to seem controlling. I am just protective of you. You don't know Matt like I do. An apology from him is never JUST an apology."

Before Hazel could say anything, there was a knock at the door. Jeff looked frustrated. "Who could that be?"

She laughed as she walked towards the door. "Could be Rey or Christian."

Jeff shrugged. Hazel opened the door and found Lita standing outside in the hallway. "Hey..." she replied softly.

Hazel ushered her into the room. "Hey Jeff." she said carefully.

Jeff laughed. "So he sends you down here to get information?!"

Hazel and Lita exchanged looks. "Jeff," Hazel said sharply. "Lita is our friend..."

"She's also HIS girlfriend. She's here on a fact finding mission."

"Jeff!" Hazel yelled.

He jumped up and looked at them. "Haze, I hate to tell you this but Matt probably told her to come down here. How many times when we were home did she call or come by? How many times since her injury has she been around?" he spoke harshly looking at Lita.

"Lee," Hazel said cutting Jeff off. "Please excuse him. He's just wound up over the match and everything today. We'll catch up later." she said ushering Lita from the room. She turned quickly on her heels and turned to face him. "Have you lost your mind?! Lita is like a sister to you! Why would you do that?!"

Jeff jumped up from the couch quickly and stormed towards her. She quickly backed against the door and looked at him with fear in her eyes. She had never seen Jeff act like this. She also had never seen him angry at her. She had no clue what he'd do. Jeff saw the fear in her face and felt his stomach sink. He realized that she was afraid of him at this very moment. He stopped instantly and looked at her. "Haze, I'm sorry."

She looked at him and saw that he was calm now. She said nothing but turned and left the locker room. Jeff shook his head and punched the wall. He was so mad at himself. He went out into the hallway and saw Hazel walking away. "Shit!" he swore to himself as he went after her.

Hazel turned the corner into the cafeteria and was happy to see it mostly empty. She went to the vending machine and got a soda. She felt someone watching her. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end. She turned to find Edge smiling at her. She let out a sigh and couldn't hide her look of utter disgust. "Not now..."

Edge laughed as he put his arm onto the machine and leaned in towards her. "I was just checking on you Hazey."

Her eyes narrowed. "Don't..."

"Cmon, Hazey. We've known each other for years. I'm just concerned about you."

She looked at him and tried to get passed him but Edge refused to budge. She attempted to shove passed him but he just laughed. "Cmon Hazey… you remember me don't you?"

Her eye brow raised. "Remember you? How could I ever forget you? You are the biggest loser I know..." she laughed.

Edge's anger rose at the word loser. His nostrils flared. "Loser? Oh no my sweet, sweet Hazey. You are the biggest loser I know." He said laughing. "Your boyfriend is a huge disappointment but he's a southern hick so the fact that he's sleeping with someone who isn't a blood relative is a step up. But you are the loser here. Your brain is scrambled. You're damaged and broken inside and you know it. You put on a show and all that but I know you. You are broken and as much as you deny it, you know it's true and it is eating away at you. It is taking over you. You can't think straight. You can't sleep. You can't even sketch anymore can you?" he spoke strongly into her ear. Her hair blew as he spoke. "You are a loser because once everyone knows the truth, no one will want you. Jeff will drop you at the first sign of it. Vince will fire you. Taker and Kane will turn on you... then you'll be all alone. Sad thing, it's not even your fault. It's Matt's."

"What are you doing?!" Jeff yelled seeing that Edge had backed her into the corner and was blocking her path.

Edge turned to look him in the face. "Hey, Jeff! I was just checking if Hazey was ok..."

Jeff's eyebrow raised. "Hazey?"

Edge smirked. "Yeah, I figured it fit perfectly. Considering that since Matt knocked her lights out, she's been a bit hazy..."

Before he could finish, Jeff had punched him in the mouth and reached his hand towards Hazel. "Baby, come on..." he said strongly seeing the horrified look in her eyes. Jeff knew that Edge had just completely crossed the line based on the look on her face alone. She looked down at the floor and walked towards Jeff. She took his hand and stopped. She turned and faced Edge. She smirked at him as she threw the unopened can of soda at his head. Jeff took her hand as they walked.

"Whatever he said, just know he's trying to get under your skin."

Hazel nodded her head. She knew that Edge loved to push buttons. He was a pro at making people snap because he loved to harp on sore subjects. In her head she wondered if anything he said was even minorly true. He knew she wasn't sketching. She took a deep breath. As they walked Hazel stopped suddenly.

"What is it?" Jeff asked with concern.

"I threw my soda at that idiot... I wanted that soda..." she said laughing.

"I'll go get you another one." Jeff laughed. "Go back to the locker room and I'll be right there."

She nodded her head and walked towards the locker room. She knew that Jeff's match was coming up soon and she had to get ready. Once in the locker room, she emptied her duffle and began to change out of her sweats. The locker room door opened and there he was standing in front of her. He smiled as he looked at her. "You look incredible."

She blushed. "Thanks." She looked in the mirror and pulled her curly hair up into a clip and began applying her makeup. "You need to get ready. It's almost time for your match."

"I know." he replied as he walked towards her. "Haze, listen to me." he said as he wrapped his arms around her waist. She turned and looked at him. "I'm sorry about earlier. I never meant to scare you. I saw the look in your face and I never meant to do that."

She looked at him. "I know you'd never hurt me Jeff. I just haven't ever seen your anger directed at me."

"I know, I know." He said grabbing the bridge of his nose. "I was mad because of Matt. Then Lita coming down here obviously on a fact finding mission. I know you can't see the bad in anyone. You just need to think to yourself, would she come see you on her own or because Matt asked her to?"

Hazel bit her lip. "She's supposed to be my best friend."

"Supposed to be..." he said softly. "I'm not trying to upset you. I'm just saying, how many times did she call or come by since her injury?"

Hazel nodded her head sadly. "You're right..."

Jeff gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I'm sorry. I know Lita and you are friends but she's been absent since her injury. We hardly talk to her anymore. I'm not saying she isn't a friend, I'm saying she isn't a good friend..."

Lita was walking around the backstage area. She didn't want to try to talk to Hazel again after her interaction with Jeff. She didn't want to see Matt. She was over dealing with Matt. Matt hadn't made her happy in a long time. She walked into the training room and found Edge working with the weights. She turned to leave by Edge called to her.

"Hey Lee..." he said.

She looked up at him. "Hey."

"Where's the golden children or the boyfriend? I never see you without one of them."

"Matt is somewhere getting ready for his match. Jeff snapped on me. Hazel is probably with Jeff."

"How is Hazel anyway? I do care about her... as much as I love to piss her off and get under her skin, I am concerned about her."

Lita sighed. "Everyone is so concerned with Hazel. Constantly. A year ago she wasn't even an after thought to Matt or Jeff..."

Edge sensed the jealously in her voice. "I know what you mean. It is sickening to hear about her and Jeff constantly."

Lita nodded her head. She smiled at the blonde. "Yeah, I'm tired of being surrounded by losers..."

Edge smiled at her.

Jeff was finishing up his warm up exercises in the locker room as Hazel watched him. "Are you sure you're ready for this?"

He looked up at her. "Absolutely."

"Well, it's time then..." she said softly as she extended her hand out to him. He smiled at her. She was going out to the ring with him. She wore black jeans and a silver halter top that matched Jeff's black cargo pants and silver netted shirt. She held his hand as they walked to the ring entrance. Lita and Matt stood there also. Jeff glared at his brother, who went out to the ring first. The boos could be heard from the back where Hazel and Jeff stood. They had played a video showing the events leading up to the match. Hazel knew that Matt was taking a lot of heat for hitting her. She felt badly for Matt. Jeff's music played and he nudged her arm. He gave her a kiss before they stepped out onto the ramp. The crowd cheered as they walked hand in hand down to the ring. Lita stood on one side of the cell watching Jeff and Hazel approach. Matt was in the ring waiting for Jeff. Hazel looked up at the massive structure and felt horrified because she knew that someone was going to get hurt before this was done. Jeff gave her a kiss before entering the cage. Hazel stood watching as the two brothers met in the center of the ring. Matt was trying to talk to Jeff but he didn't want to hear anything from his big brother. Lita stood on the opposite corner watching the brothers attack each other in horror, much like Hazel. Jeff at one point had Matt's face smashed into the chain link fencing right near Hazel and was screaming at Matt to apologize to her. She saw that they links were cutting into his face.

"Stop!" she screamed.

Jeff continued to grind Matt's face into the fence. Blood began to trickle from Matt's face.

"Jeff! He's bleeding!" she screamed slamming her hands onto the fence.

"He deserves it!" Jeff screamed as he finally released Matt. Matt's bloody body tumbled to the mat. Hazel looked at Jeff. He saw the look on her face. "Haze, I have to protect us!"

"Not like this! He's your brother! Beat him up and pin him! Don't kill him!" she screamed.

Jeff began kicking Matt in the ribs and rolled him back into the ring. Hazel looked at Lita who was watching in horror. Matt didn't know where he was or what was going on, his face was bleeding badly. Jeff looked at Lita and Hazel, who now stood side by side watching. He saw their faces and looked down at Matt. He kicked him a few more times in the side then dropped to his knees to pin his older brother. The referee announced that Jeff had won. They opened the cell and Jeff jumped out and was greeted by Hazel and Lita. He wrapped his arm around Hazel and began walking from the cell door. Lita quickly ran to aid Matt. Jeff and Hazel looked at Matt who was struggling to his feet, his face bleeding badly. Hazel bit her lip.

Jeff began leading her away but Hazel kept watching from over her shoulder. She hated this tension between the brothers.

After their match, Matt was forced out of action to undergo surgery to repair damage in his knee that was reaggravated during the cell match. Jeff refused to talk about Matt so Hazel didn't even mention if and when she received updates from Lita. In the weeks that passed Hazel also had healed completely from her concussion and had been cleared to return to action. Jeff had been having a lot of success in the singles matches he'd been competing in, and had entered into the mid-main event status. Hazel and Victoria had been feuding over the Women's title. Jeff and Hazel had even tagged together a few times against Victoria and Steven Richards. Lita was back from her injury and was helping Hazel fend off Victoria and Jazz. It was nice to have her best friend back. Trish and Christian had been Hazel's rocks next to Jeff. Matt was a distant memory. Unfortunately, in this business, if you aren't in the fans' faces you can be quickly forgotten.


	19. Chapter 19

Jeff watched the monitor from the locker room as Hazel and Lita had a match against Jazz and Victoria. The feud between Hazel and Victoria had been heating up for weeks and was set to explode at the Bash on Sunday. Victoria was set to defend her Women's Championship against Hazel. Jeff smiled as he watched his fiancée on the monitor. She was in top condition and had been working on her aerial attacks. The fans loved her and were completely behind her in the match. Lita also had a series of impressive matches in the weeks since Matt's injury. The brothers hadn't spoken since the match. Jeff wasn't ready to forgive his brother just yet. Everyone, including Hazel, Lita, and his father had told him to call Matt and get back on the same page as his return was looming closer and closer. Jazz and Victoria cheated to secure a win on Lita. Jeff watched as the match ended and knew that the girls would be back soon. He quickly finished wrapping a gift and hid the evidence in his duffle bag. The girls were soon in the locker room with him. Jeff gave them both hugs and kissed Hazel.

"You both looked great!" he said with encouragement to calm the pain of the loss.

"Those cheating bitches!" Lita swore holding her neck.

Hazel ran her hands threw her long curly hair and pulled it into a messy bun. "I need you both on Sunday. If Jazz or Steven Richards interfere I will lose my mind!"

"You know I gotcha Haze." Lita said with a smile. Her phone rang and she looked down at the caller id. A smile crossed her face. "I gotta take this... but I'll catch up later ok?"

Jeff and Hazel waved bye to Lita as she left the room. Hazel smiled. "It must be Matt. She's been on her phone constantly and is so happy. I know you don't want to hear about Matt, but I'm so glad that they are fixing their fractured relationship."

Jeff nodded. "I will talk to Matt soon. I promise you. When we go home I will go see him."

Hazel raised an eyebrow. "How soon until your match?"

"A while still... almost main event tonight." he replied with a grin.

"Do you want me to come out with you?" she asked already knowing the answer.

He smirked at her. "What do you think? You know I always want you in my corner." he walked towards her and gave her a soft kiss on the forehead.

She rose to her feet. "Well, I'm going to get a shower then so I can walk you out there." She said as she rummaged threw her duffle bag.

Jeff was watching her with a grin. He placed his hand on his jaw and smiled.

"What?" she said smirking. "You want to join me?" she said with a smirk.

"If you insist..." he replied walking towards her. He stood behind her, ran his hands up her sides and untied her halter top. He softly kissed her neck.

"Lock the door." she said softly as she walked towards the bathroom. Jeff ran to the locker room door and locked it before following Hazel into the shower.

Lita was in the cafeteria with a huge smile on her face. She looked at her phone and smiled. She was happier than she'd been in months. Sadly, Matt's injury had been the best time for her. Her career was sky rocketing, she was completely healthy, and she was at top physical form. She didn't feel held down by Matt and his insecurities. She was focused on her own career and for the first time in a long time, she was happy with where she was in life. Hazel was in line for the title, but she allowed Lita to shine in their tag matches. Even Jeff was more relaxed without Matt's negativity looming over them constantly. Her phone pinged and she smiled. She read the text and began to laugh. The texts and calls she'd been receiving lately weren't from her boyfriend Matt though. She didn't even feel guilty for texting someone else. She was happy. Matt didn't make her happy anymore. Her phone rang once more and she frowned when she saw it was Matt.

"Hey Babe." she feigned.

"Hey. Great match. You and Hazel look amazing." Matt spoke happily.

"Thanks."

"How's everything? How's everyone?"

Lita sighed. "Everyone's great. You remembered today's Hazel's birthday right?"

"Yes, I texted her. What'd you get her?"

"Well we're having her surprise party when we're in Charlotte this weekend. I got her a few books she was checking out and a few outfits."

Matt missed being with Lita, Hazel, and Jeff on the road. He watched the shows and it seemed like he wasn't missed. Hazel and Lita were two of the best and most loved divas on the roster. Jeff was having impressive singles matches. "Oh, I didn't know... she hasn't replied to my text but I can't be surprised by that I guess." his said sadly.

"I told you. Jeff won't talk about you... hey, listen, I gotta go. I'll call you after I get to the hotel. I love you." she lied as she quickly hung up the phone before he could answer her.

Jeff won his match and soon they were loading their bags into the rental car. Life on the road was thrilling but also exhausting. Lita climbed into the back seat and put her ear buds in her ears. She was soon asleep. Hazel smiled at Jeff as he drove. She looped her hand in his as he drove. She was looking threw her phone and cautiously looked at Jeff. "I have a ton of texts about my aging a year."

"Does that surprise you? I know you hate your birthday but everyone loves you. Anyone good?" he asked smirking.

"All of the McMahons. Vince, Linda, Steph, and even Shane. Taker, Kane, Michael Hayes, Gangrel, and people we see everyday... and Matt."

Jeff's face frowned.

"Jeff, he's apologized to me a thousand times. He misses you."

"I can't tell you who to talk to or anything but I will deal with my brother on my own time." Jeff said firmly. "You, Lita, and my dad want to just slap a band-aid on the situation and it's not going to happen."

"I get that but I know you! You hate this! You miss Matt as much as you say you don't. I'm just saying you will feel better once you clear the air with him. Some nights, you scream out with nightmares."

Jeff looked at her.

"I'm just worried is all I'm saying."

Jeff patted her hand. "I will handle it, I promise you."

3 days later The Bash was in Charlotte. Hazel was the favorite to win in the match against Victoria. Jeff had planned a surprise birthday party for her the night of the Bash hoping that it could also celebrate her newly won Championship. Jeff and Rey were decorating the room for the party. Rey smiled. "It's almost time for her match. I'll finish this up."

"Thanks Man." Jeff said patting him on the back. "I got to go wish my Love good luck."

Hazel was getting ready in the locker room when Jeff arrived. She looked at him and felt relieved. "Where have you been? It's almost time."

"Uhh, trainer..." he lied quickly.

She glared at him. "I know she's going to cheat."

"I'll be out there to keep Stevie Richards in line."

"And I'll be there making sure Jazz doesn't do anything." Lita said smiling.

Hazel bit her lip as she adjusted her ring gear and pulled her arm bands onto her arms. She was ready. She looked at Jeff and Lita. "Let's go do this."

The match was longer than a traditional divas match, but in no time Hazel had pinned Victoria cleanly and was named Champion. She embraced both Lita and Jeff as they headed to the back. Hazel noticed that they weren't going to their locker room and she looked at them questioningly. They walked through the doors to a chorus of "Surprise", "Happy Birthday" and "Congratulations"

Jeff laughed at her shocked face as she was trying to hide her blushing face in her hands. It seemed like everyone was there. She playfully smacked Jeff who was laughing next to her. He knew how much she hated surprises. Triple H, The Rock, and a few other guys met her quickly and wished her well but needed to get ready for their matches later in the night.

"I'll be back for cake." Triple H said laughing as he hugged her.

The room suddenly went from a noisy party to dead silent. Hazel looked up and saw Matt standing there. Jeff looked angry and Lita had a look of horror on her face. The other superstars moved away from Matt like Moses parting the Red Sea. Hazel shook her head. She'd seen enough. She walked over towards Matt and stood in front of him. "Hazel, I don't mean to spoil your party. I just wanted to see you and give you this." he said handing her a beautifully wrapped box. He sadly turned to leave. Hazel bit her lip and quickly grabbed his arm.

"Matt!" she yelled making him turn to face her. "Please stay?"

"I don't want to ruin anything." he said looking over her shoulder at Jeff.

Hazel embraced him in a tight hug. "It's fine. I'm sorry. I know you're sorry." she whispered into his ear. She grabbed his hand and lead him into the party. "Matt is my guest for tonight." she announced looking at Jeff and Lita. She turned to Matt, "You and Lita catch up. I'll be right back."

Matt stood awkwardly next to Lita. Hazel had completely taken control of the situation and had welcomed him into the fold once again. She walked away from them with Jeff and the two disappeared. Jeff looked at her with confusion. "Did you invite him here? Did you do this to make me face him?"

She laughed. "No, I wish I had though."

Jeff was irate. "He ruined everything!"

Hazel put her finger to his lip. "He didn't ruin anything. It's my party and I want Matt to be accepted here. He's going to be back from injury soon enough and you might at as well deal with it now." She smiled at him. "Plus it's my birthday and it's what I want. You don't need to be best friends or anything but please talk to him; for me?" she pleaded.

Jeff couldn't resist her. Especially when she batted her eyelashes at him like that. "Fine. I'll talk to him but I'm not going to like it." he pouted.

"That's all I'm asking you to do is make some type of peace." she said as she led him back into the party.

The superstars watched as Hazel and Jeff approached Matt and Lita. Everyone was waiting to see how this would go down. Matt stepped forward and looked at Jeff. "I'm sorry about everything I said and did to you and Hazel. I never meant to hurt either of you."

"I'm sorry too." Jeff muttered. "I never meant to put you out of action."

Matt laughed. "I deserved it. Plus the time off helped me get my head straight." Matt smiled at them. "She's a great girl, Jeff. I see that now."

Hazel smiled. "Can we all move passed the past? I know I for one would love to forget it."

Jeff nodded his head and extended his hand to his brother. "Forgive me?"

Matt shook Jeff's hand and pulled him into a hug. Hazel and Lita looked at each other and smiled.

"Who wants cake?!" Hazel asked laughing as she turned to the room of superstars.

Over the next few weeks, everything went back to normal. Or as normal as life can be in the WWE. Matt was soon to return and Lita began dreading it. She didn't want him to come back. She had been having too much fun without him. She looked at her phone and felt sad. Matt returned a few weeks later and fit right back into the mix. Hazel had ensured that at her birthday party. He was forever grateful to her for that night. She had completely shifted the tide and people had forgiven him for the past. He noticed that Lita wasn't herself around him like before but he couldn't figure why. One day he was walking through the hall and saw Edge standing on the phone.

"Babe, I don't care! Do you love me or not? So leave him! Why do you care? End it if you aren't happy! I need you!" Edge screamed into the phone. He looked at Matt and sneered as he hung up the phone and walked away.

Matt was perplexed. He wondered who Edge was talking to considering it was common knowledge that Edge wasn't close to anyone. He shrugged his shoulders as he walked towards the locker room. Jeff was sitting on the couch looking concerned.

"What's wrong?" Matt asked sitting next to his brother.

"Hazel's sick. Got a virus or something."

Matt looked at him with concern. "Where is she?"

Jeff pointed to the bathroom door. "Every time she tries to eat something she throws up."

Matt looked concerned. "Has she been to the doctor?"

Jeff shook his head. "I don't know. It just started."

Hazel stood in the bathroom looking at her cell phone. She was counting the minutes. Slowly she flipped the white test on the sink and looked at the clear as day set of 2 dark lines. She sighed and rubbed her stomach. She'd been pretty certain when she purchased the test what the results were. She wasn't sure to be happy or scared out of her mind. She wondered what Jeff would say. She wondered what would happen to her job and her life. A smile crossed her face as she rubbed her stomach. A little Hardy was on the way, that much was for sure.


	20. Chapter 20

Hazel emerged from the bathroom and found the brothers sitting on the couch. They both looked at her. "Babe, you're pale as a ghost. Should I call the trainers or something?" Jeff asked as he jumped up and ushered her to the couch. Matt looked at her with concern.

She sighed. "I think it's just a touch of food poisoning or something. I'm sure I'll be ok in a day or so." she lied quickly. She was going to tell Jeff but she wanted to tell Jeff when it was just the two of them. She'd figure a plan and tell him in a special way. She reached for her purse and began rummaging threw the contains. Jeff looked at her.

"What are you looking for, Babe?" he asked hoping to be able to help in some way.

"I was looking for some change." she said softly.

"What do you need, Haze? I have money." Matt said pulling his wallet from his pocket.

She smiled. "Gingerale and crackers. I need to put something in my stomach before the show tonight."

Matt nodded his head. "I'll go see what I can find." he said leaving the room.

Hazel put her head onto Jeff's chest. He wrapped his arms around her. "I hate seeing you sick."

"I hate being sick... this is awful. I just want to eat a big, greasy cheeseburger with fries..." she whined.

Jeff laughed. "Maybe that's why you got food poisoning. You and your rare beef..." he laughed.

"Rather rare than shoe leather my love." she replied laughing.

Jeff kissed her forehead. "I hope you feel better, Love. I hate seeing you not feeling well."

Hazel wanted to tell him right then and there but she didn't know how to tell him. They'd talked about kids and all before but that was supposed to be years down the line. She hoped that Jeff would be happy about the announcement but she wasn't sure if he'd be on board, especially with how both of their careers were going. She smiled at him and nodded her head. "I'm sure I'll be ok soon enough."

Matt walked back into the room and handed Hazel her requested items. She smiled at him. "Thanks Matt. Don't you boys have a match tonight?"

They looked at each other. "Yep. We do." Matt said.

"Haze, you rest up. Don't worry about walking out there or anything. You need to rest." he said.

She pouted. "You don't want me out there?"

Jeff smirked. "You know I do. I just don't want you puking out there if you don't need to be out there."

She folded her arms over her chest and pouted. Matt laughed at her attempt to look sad. Jeff smiled. "Haze, if you want to come out there then get ready. You know I can't stop ya."

"Even if we told you no, you'd still come out there..." Matt added laughing.

Hazel smirked. "That's true... I never stay in the back even when you tell me to.."

Matt laughed. "Have you seen Lita?"

Jeff and Hazel shook their heads. "Nope."

Matt looked concerned.

Meanwhile, Lita was in another locker room hugging another superstar. She was starting to feel strong feelings towards Edge. She was starting to feel in love with him. "What are you going to do?"

"What do you mean?" Lita asked as she began dressing.

"You need to decide what you're doing. Are you with me or with Matt?" Edge asked.

Lita bit her lip. "I don't know what to do. I've been with Matt for years..."

"...Does he make you happy? Do you want him or not?"

"He doesn't make me happy but how do I end it?"

"Tell him the truth LEE! Tell him you don't love him!" Edge screamed.

"What about Jeff and Hazel?"

Edge smirked. "What about them?! They don't matter in this decision! Hazel can still be your friend even if you aren't with Matt!"

"I gotta get back..." she said changing the subject as she kissed him quickly then left.

Edge was beside himself with rage. "It's either me or him!" He screamed after her.

Hazel was getting ready to walk the boys out to the ring. Lita walked through the door and looked at her. "Hey, we've been looking for you. Are you coming out to the ring?"

She nodded her head. "Where's Matt?"

"Trainer with Jeff..." Hazel answered quickly.

Lita looked at her best friend. She noticed her paleness. "Haze, are you ok? You look sick as hell."

"Stomach virus I think. Maybe food poisoning." She said. "Matt got me gingerale and crackers."

"Isn't he sweet?" she replied cockily.

Hazel looked at Lita with confusion. "Are you and Matt ok?"

She nodded her head. "Yeah, I guess."

Before Hazel could question her best friend any further, the boys walked threw the doors.

"Hey, I've been looking for you." Matt said as he tried to kiss Lita.

Hazel and Jeff saw Lita brush Matt off. They both tried to act like they didn't see it, but they both did. They both also noted the look of pain on Matt's face. Hazel was wondering what was going on with Lita.

"Sooo, are you ready to go?" Jeff asked trying to change the subject. "Match time!"

Hazel nodded her head and grabbed her title as she grabbed Jeff's hand and left the locker room. Matt looked at Lita. "Are you coming?"

She shook her head. "I have to get ready for my match."

"What is wrong with you? You've been so distant from us lately!" Matt screamed. "You don't want to be a part of the team anymore or just don't want me around? You seemed like a team player when I was injured."

Lita looked at the floor. "You better go or you'll be late."

"I can't believe you!" Matt screamed as he left slamming the locker room door. He raged all the way to the ramp. Hazel and Jeff looked stunned. "Where is she?" Hazel asked.

"Not coming!" was all Matt could muster.

Hazel and Jeff exchanged looks and tried to get Matt's head in the game. Unfortunately for the Hardyz, Matt's head was clearly not on the match and ended when Matt was pinned after clearly not wanting to be the match. He stormed to the back and found Lita. Jeff and Hazel awkwardly stood outside the locker room while the couple screamed at each other for a few minutes. "So, it's great that the family is back together, right?" Hazel laughed awkwardly.

The door flew opened and Lita ran out in tears. "Lee?" Hazel called after her. Jeff shook his head as he entered the locker room and found Matt.

"Something is up with her!" he screamed. "She doesn't want to be around ME!"

"Dude, I don't know what's going on. I know she seems weird since you've been back." Jeff said sadly.

WWE had given Hazel and Jeff a few days off so they went home to relax in Cameron. The one morning, Hazel woke up and snuck out of the bed, leaving Jeff still sleeping soundly. She hadn't found the words to tell Jeff yet. She had been to the doctor and had the pregnancy confirmed. She had to tell him. She needed to figure out what she needed to do. She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled nervously. She crawled back into bed and snuggled her head onto Jeff's chest. He sighed softly and he wrapped his arms around her. "Morning, Babe." he whispered.

"Morning..." she said biting her lip.

Jeff smiled at her. "You feel ok? Your stomach still bothering you?" he asked sitting up slightly.

"Yeah, I'm still feeling nauseous. Jeff, I gotta tell you something."

"What?"

She sat on the bed and played with her fingers. She was avoiding his eyes. "I went to the doctor yesterday."

"Haze? What is it? You're kind of scaring me." he said kneeling in front of her. He grabbed her hands into his.

She bit her lip. "My stomach problems are going to go away but it'll take some time. Doctor said it's normal..."

"... normal?"

She didn't know how to make the announcement a memorable one. She was ready to just blurt it out. She took his hands in hers. "You remember a while ago when we talked about the future? Well, I don't know how you're going to react, but little Hardys is happening sooner than expected." she blurted out placing his hands onto her stomach.

Jeff's face was blank for a moment as he processed her words. Hazel waited anxiously to see his reaction. Jeff ran his hands over her bare belly and looked like he was going to cry. He pulled her into a passionate kiss and kept one hand on her belly. Tears streamed down her face as he kissed her. He pulled away and looked at her with confusion.

"Haze?"

"I was scared you were going to be mad." she cried.

"Mad that you're pregnant?" he asked with surprise.

"I'm ready to retire but your career is so great right now. I know we talked about it, but I figured it'd be years from now. I don't know, I was scared you'd be mad." she cried.

He held her. "No, no, I'd never be mad at you. Haze, we're going to have a baby! We are going to have a family!"

Jeff's reaction made her happy. She hugged him tightly. "I love you Hardy. I was so scared to tell you. I took a test a few days ago but I didn't want to say anything until I saw the doctor."

"Are we telling people?" Jeff asked.

She looked at him.

"I mean Taker and Kane nearly killed me when I didn't ask to marry you... I need to tell my Dad and Matt... Lita of course..." Jeff beamed with pride.

"Family sure, but not everyone. It's bad luck until you hit 3 months. I need to talk to Vince because obviously I can't be wrestling anymore." she said smiling. "Are you really happy? I know this changes our plans."

"Haze, I am so excited I don't know how to react. I just want to call my dad and tell everyone! Well, YOU can tell Kane and Taker so they don't kill me."

Hazel laughed.

A few days later, Jeff and Hazel returned to the WWE and Hazel went to talk to Vince. Matt, Lita, and Gil were super excited at the news of the pregnancy and were being completely supportive. Matt smiled at Jeff. "You really have it all now, Jeff. I'm so happy for you."

"It doesn't seem real. I'm going to be a father. There's a little Hardy growing inside of her. I fall asleep holding her stomach. It's so crazy." Jeff beamed.

Lita was with Edge in his locker room. "This is the best news in the world. Hazel will be gone and I can have everything!" Lita gushed.

"Hazel's pregnant? Like for sure?"

Lita shook her head. "Absolutely. She went to the doctor and everything is confirmed. She's going to have to drop the Championship and it'll be mine. Then I can be the dominant diva."

Edge looked perplexed. "She's pregnant and Taker hasn't killed Jeff yet?"

Lita looked annoyed. "Why do you care so much about her being pregnant? She'll be gone and it will be the best thing in the world."

Edge nodded his head. "Yeah, true. Is Jeff leaving too?"

Lita shrugged. "I don't know."

Edge grabbed his chin and thought for a second. "So with Hazel being out of the picture, what are you going to do about Matt? I'm getting tired of this back and forth. You need to decide what you're doing because I'm quite frankly done with this game. I want you. I want the world to know it. I'm done hiding. So you need to decide."

Lita looked at Edge. "I told you it's not that easy!" she screamed turning to leave. Edge grabbed her arm.

"No, Lee, it is! Either you stay with Matt or you are with me!" The anger was boiling over. He was done with the game. "You choose or I will leave you in the dust! Are you afraid of being disliked for leaving Team Xtreme?! Are you worried about what everyone will think?"

Lita glared at him. "I need time!""

"No, Lee, you need to decide."

Jeff was beaming in the locker room when Hazel returned. She looked exhausted when she returned from Vince's office. "What happened?" he asked.

She shrugged her shoulders. "He wasn't happy but he is going to work with me. He is writing a fake injury into the storyline and then will hold a tournament to get a number one contender. Then I'll drop the title because of the 'injury' and that will be that." she said softly. "He wants me to stay on to do commentary and manage you and Matt until I start to show."

Jeff smiled. "That's good. Did you talk to you brothers yet?"

Hazel smirked. "Yes, neither one are going to kill you. Taker and Kane are happy for the new addition but they feel like we're too young and they think I'm throwing away my career... but I don't care."

Matt walked into the locker room and smiled at Hazel. "How's baby Hardy today?"

"Still making me nauseous but so far so good." she replied smiling.

"Where's Lita?" Matt asked.

Hazel and Jeff both shrugged their shoulders. "I just got back from Vince. I haven't seen her."

Matt looked annoyed. "I swear she is hiding something."

"She hasn't said anything to me." Hazel said as she sat next to Jeff on the couch.

"I'm going to go look for her." Matt said as he stormed out of the room.

Jeff looked at Hazel. He raised his eyebrow. "She hasn't said anything to you?"

"Lee hardly speaks to me. She's always on her phone. When Matt was out on injury, I just assumed she was talking to Matt. I have no idea who she's talking to though." she replied softly.

Jeff nodded his head. "I feel so horrible. We're so happy and they are falling apart." Jeff said kissing her head.

Hazel shrugged her shoulders. "I know. I feel so bad."

Lita was walking from Edge's locker room when she ran into Matt. She looked at him with wide eyes. "Hey."

"Where have you been?"

Lita hesitated. "I was thinking. Matt, I need some time. I am focused on my career and you and us and it's too much."

Matt looked at her in disbelief.

"I'm sorry, I really am."


	21. Chapter 21

Matt stormed into the locker room and sent the door slamming into the wall. Hazel nearly jumped off the couch at the sound of the door slamming the wall. Jeff and Hazel looked at Matt with concern.

"I think she just broke up with me!" he screamed.

"What?!" Jeff asked with confusion.

"She said she needs time to focus on her career!" Matt yelled.

Hazel hung her head down into her hands. Her long brunette curls hung around her face. She could hear the pain in Matt's voice. "Maybe with me leaving, she can enter the Women's Championship tournament and then she'll get over this nonsense."

Matt looked fed up. "Haze, has she said anything to you? Please tell me! Don't hide behind that girl code I know you both have!"

Hazel looked Matt in the eye. "She hasn't said anything to me. All I know is she was on her phone a lot while you were gone and we just assumed she was talking to you."

"I hardly heard from her while I was out. I heard from you more then her," Matt said directly to Hazel.

"Matt, I promise. She hasn't said anything to me. She hardly speaks to me." Hazel said softly.

Jeff looked at Matt, "She hasn't said anything to me about you either. I'm sorry Bro."

Edge was standing outside in the parking lot one night when Matt arrived to the show. He was on his phone in an obvious heated conversation with someone. Edge had his back turned towards Matt and never saw him. "I don't care. You either want Hardy or you want me! I'm done with this game! Pick or I will pick for you!" he screamed as he hung up the phone. He turned and saw Matt watching him. Matt glared at him. Edge hadn't been linked to anyone besides Hazel for as long as he could remember. Matt's blood boiled. This was all he needed right now. He glared at Edge and stormed off. Hazel and Edge? Matt was irate. Was the baby even a Hardy? Matt stormed into the locker room and found Jeff and Hazel curled up. Hazel was asleep in Jeff's arms.

"What's up?" Jeff asked softly as he stroked Hazel's hair as she slept.

Matt was taken aback. He'd just heard Edge on the phone. He looked at Hazel and back at Jeff. "How long has she been asleep?"

Jeff looked at him oddly. "A half an hour or so? Why?"

Matt ran his hands through his hair. He wondered if Edge had left her a voicemail. Jeff looked at Matt. "Are you alright?"

Matt nodded his head. "Yeah, sorry this shit with Lee has my head swimming."

Jeff looked at his brother sadly. "I'm sorry dude..."

Matt flopped on the chair and looked at his brother. "At least one of us is happy."

Jeff stroked Hazel's hair and tried to avoid Matt's eyes. "I'm sorry things are the way they are right now with Lee."

Matt shrugged his shoulders.

Later that night, Jeff was at the trainer to get cleared for his match. Matt was at the gym and Hazel was alone. She took the opportunity to sit outside with her sketchbook. She hadn't done this is a while, since before her concussion. She turned her music up as loud as possible and began sketching the view in front of her. She had completely lost track of time but knew it was getting late because of the changes with the sun. She felt a hand on her shoulder and smiled thinking it was Jeff. She turned and came face to face with Edge. She ripped her ear buds out and glared at Edge. He smiled at her oddly and looked at her.

"What do you want?" she asked.

Edge continued to look at her body and smiled. "You look good Haze. I heard you were sick."

"I'm fine now." she snapped as she gathered her things.

"Cmon Haze. I was worried about you. I heard you were puking like crazy. Apparently, the illness was great for your body because you look smoking." he said smiling.

"You're disgusting." she said trying to leave.

Edge grabbed her arm. "Not smoking tonight?" he asked as he sparked a cigarette.

"I quit." she said freeing her arm.

Edge smirked. "Hmm, puking like crazy, quit smoking, glowing, and not wrestling..."

Hazel glared at him. Edge knew he'd stuck a nerve based on her face. He ran his hand against her stomach and smiled as she quickly jumped away from his touch. "Should I offer my congratulations?"

Hazel looked at him. How did he know? She tried to pass him but he caught her arm and pushed her backwards. He had his one hand on her stomach and looked at her belly. "Does Jeff know? Is he going to be a failure of a father just like he's a failure at being a wrestler"

Hazel said nothing. She attempted to free herself from his grip, but as she struggled, he tightened his grip. Edge backed her into the corner and tightened his hand on her stomach. Hazel winced in pain as he squeezed.

"Let me go, Edge!" she screamed as she kicked at him but Edge just laughed at her attempts to hurt him.

Edge continued to squeeze her belly and glare at her. He leaned into to her and whispered. "I know there's a baby Hardy on the way." He pinned her hand against the wall and used his body weight to pin her body against the wall. He kissed her as she attempted to scream and fight him off.

Suddenly, Edge's grip on her was released. Hazel looked at saw Matt and Jeff. Jeff knocked Edge to the ground and began punching him. Hazel held her wrist, which was swollen and red from Edge's grip on her. Matt looked at her questioningly. Hazel was having pain in her stomach and felt like she was going to be sick. She quickly grabbed her bag and began walking towards the door. Matt pulled Jeff away from Edge and he smirked as the trio went back into the building. Jeff had his arm around Hazel's shoulder protectively as they walked back towards their locker room. Once inside, Hazel rushed to the locker room and lifted her shirt. Jeff gasped as he saw the red marks on her exposed belly. Hazel held her stomach and cried in pain.

"He knows! I don't know how he knows but he know!" she sobbed.

"He hit you in the stomach?!" Jeff screamed holding her stomach.

"He was squeezing my belly and used his body to pin me against the wall!" she sobbed.

"I'm going to kill him! He is a dead man!" Jeff screamed as he charged out of the room.

Matt looked at Hazel, who was sitting in shock. "Where'd he go? Please go stop him from killing someone please?!" she begged Matt.

He nodded his head and left the locker room as Hazel laid on the couch sobbing and holding her belly. Lita walked into the locker room and found Hazel sobbing.

"What happened?! I just saw Matt and Jeff heading to Vince's office." Lita asked with concern.

Hazel lifted her shirt to revealed the red marks on her stomach. Lita gasped. "What happened?!"

"Edge knows! I don't know how but he does!" she cried.

Lita bit her lip. She knew how he found out. "Edge did this?"

Hazel nodded her head. Lita hugged her and tried to soothe her friend as she cried. Matt and Jeff soon returned and Jeff wrapped his arms around Hazel. "Are you ok? Is the baby ok?"

"I think so." she replied sadly.

"Vince made a match for us later." Jeff announced.

"Where were you?" Matt asked Lita. "Maybe if you weren't missing in action all the time this wouldn't have happened!"

Lita looked at Matt with shock. "This is my fault? Edge has always been a thorn in Hazel and Jeff's side! How is this my fault?!"

"Matt please, it's not her fault!" Hazel interjected.

Matt ignored Hazel and continued to scream at Lita. "If you were actually around, Hazel wouldn't have been alone!"

"This isn't my fault!" Lita screamed jumping up from the couch. She turned to Hazel. "I'm sorry Haze but I'm not going to be blamed for something that wasn't my fault!"

Hazel and Jeff watched as Lita left the room and slammed the door. They looked at Matt and shook their heads.

"That was unnecessary." Jeff said.

Lita walked to Edge's locker room and stormed in. Edge smiled at her. "Hey!"

"Are you crazy?! You gripped Hazel up and left marks on her belly?" Lita asked as she thumped him in the chest. "Why are you so caught up in Hazel? I thought you were over her?!"

"Are you jealous?" he asked laughing.

Lita glared at him. "I'm not jealous of HER."

Edge laughed. "Seems like you are. Listen did you handle your business yet?"

Lita shook her head no. Edge nodded. Well, I have a match against Jeff because of the little Hazel situation so I'll see you later." as he headed towards the door. "It'd be a shame if Hazel lost the baby and didn't leave like you want. That'd mess up your plans huh?"

Lita glared at him as he left. She was so angry at him. She played with her hair as she walked back towards the locker room she shared with the Hardys and Hazel. Jeff was preparing for his match against Edge. Hazel was ready to walk out with him. Matt was also going out. Jeff smiled at Hazel as he pulled his arm bands on and adjusted his belt. He held his hand out to her and they walked to the ring. Edge came out and they match began. Edge was attacking Jeff in the corner violently and Jeff was struggling to recover and build some momentum. Hazel stood next to Matt on the outside of the ring and tried to encourage Jeff back into the match. Jeff slowly began building a quickened pace as they battled inside the ring. Hazel cheered as Jeff hit poetry in motion and the Swanton bomb. Jeff got the pin and was named the winner. After the match, Edge lost it. He attacked Jeff violently with a chair. Hazel motioned for Matt to intervene but Edge slammed the chair into Matt's face and sent him crashing to the mat. Referees ran to the ring and attempted to remove Edge from the ring. Once the referees had removed Edge, Hazel slid into the ring and crawled to Jeff.

"Are you ok?" she asked as she helped him to his feet.

Edge watched Hazel and grinned evilly. He charged into the ring and glared at her. Without warning, when Hazel turned in his direction, he speared her hard to the mat. Her head bounced off of the mat and her body took the full brunt of his weight. The referees charged the ring and pulled Edge away from Hazel. He was smirking and smiling at her on the mat screaming. He was proud of his dirty work. Jeff was attempting to get his hands on Edge but the referees wouldn't allow it. Matt was looking at Hazel in horror as she laid on the mat, screaming in pain, holding her belly. Jeff heard her screams and quickly forgot about Edge. He slid to her side and saw the fear in her eyes. Jeff looked at Matt with horror in his eyes and covered his mouth. Lita came running to the ring and slid in and ran to Hazel's side.

"We gotta get her to medical." Matt said as he looked at Hazel screaming in pain. Matt had seen the force which Edge had speared her and he was silently praying that baby Hardy wasn't hurt.

Jeff nodded with tears in his eyes. "Cmon, Haze, roll to the side of the ring."

She rolled with Matt, Jeff, and Lita's help. Once she was out of the ring, she attempted to walk, but the pain was too great and her legs buckled. She held her stomach as Jeff scooped her up into his arms. They rushed her up the ramp and to medical. Hazel was screaming and crying in pain as Jeff laid her onto the table. Lita gasped when she saw that Jeff's shirt and hands were bloody. Matt reacted quietly in an attempt not to scare Hazel. Jeff looked down at his hands and a pained look filled his face. He took his shirt off and wiped the blood off of his hands the best he could. Hazel saw the blood and began sobbing as she held her belly. Lita and Matt left the room once the medical staff came into the room. Matt couldn't believe this was happening. Lita looked at Matt sadly. "I hope she's ok."

Matt shook his head. "Edge is a monster."

Christian, Rey, Trish, and a few other superstars were standing outside the office with Matt and Lita. They were concerned about Hazel.

"What happened? I know he speared her, but Hazel has taken that move before." Rey said with question in his voice.

Matt sighed. "Hazel is pregnant."

"Matt!" Lita screamed.

"What!?" Christian and Trish said in unison.

Matt nodded his head. "She just found out."

"Oh my God!" Trish screamed. "Is the baby...?"

Matt bit his lip. "I don't know.."

They suddenly heard Hazel screaming from inside the office. Jeff walked out with tears streaming down his face. Matt grabbed his younger brother in a tight hug. Trish and Rey looked at him with concern. "Is she ok? How's the baby?" Trish asked.

Jeff looked at her. "She's in a lot of pain, they want to send her to the hospital to see what's going on... Did Hazel tell you about the baby?"

Trish shook her head. "No, Matt just told us."

Jeff glared at Matt. "We weren't telling people until we hit 3 months." he said to Trish and Rey.

The door opened and Hazel stumbled out looking whiter than a ghost. Trish and Rey grabbed her and hugged her tightly. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying. Jeff picked her into his arms and she looped her arms around his neck. She sobbed into his neck as they headed towards their car. Jeff looked at her with concern in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Jeff." she muttered.

"It's not your fault, Hazel! You have no reason to apologize. I'm going to kill Edge thought!" he said as he held her hand.

"What if I lost the baby!? Will you still love me?!" she sobbed.

Jeff looked at her. His heart was breaking. "Hazel, I will always love you! This is not your fault!"


	22. Chapter 22

Jeff stood in the doorway of the bedroom watching Hazel sleep. It had been almost a week since the miscarriage and Hazel hardly got out of bed or did anything besides sleep. She hardly spoke to him, and when she did, it resulted in her being hysterical and in tears. She refused to talk about the miscarriage and if he even mentioned the baby or the event, she shut down. She either would constantly sleep, or was up for a day or two at a time. He watched as she slept and felt completely powerless. He didn't know what to say or do to ease her suffering. Their friends called to check in but she didn't want to speak to anyone. Whenever anyone stopped by the house to see her, she refused to leave the bedroom. Vince had given Hazel a leave of absence from work until she was healed and ready to return. Jeff feared that she might never want to go back to in-ring competition. She refused to eat and Jeff was beginning to fear for her health as well as her state of mind. Downstairs he heard the dogs barking and he turned to go see what the were barking at. He reached the door and was greeted by his father. Jeff looked at him with sadness in his eyes.

"How is she today, Son?" Gil asked with concern.

Jeff shrugged. "Same as yesterday and the day before... she's still refusing to eat."

Gil nodded sadly. "I wish your mother was alive. That poor girl needs a mother right now."

Jeff nodded. "Unfortuntely Hazel's mother died when she was a baby. I don't know what to do, Dad." Jeff said. His voice was beginning to crack into crying. "I don't know what to do to help her."

Gil pulled his youngest son into a tight embrace as Jeff allowed himself to cry. He'd been acting strong for Hazel, but he was deeply wounded by the miscarriage. "I know it sounds crazy but I had a bond with the baby. I know it sounds insane, Dad, I know it does but ever since she told me, I would fall asleep holding her belly. I had so many plans and hopes and now it's just like it never was real."

"It doesn't sound crazy, Jeff." Gil said softly. "I was the same way with both of you boys when your mother was pregnant."

"She blames herself. She thinks I blame her. She thinks I'll leave her and stop loving her. She doesn't want me to touch her. She's punishing herself like she did something wrong." Jeff sobbed.

Matt walked through the backdoor and found his brother and father in a tight embrace. "How is she?"

"No better." Jeff cried.

Gil released Jeff from their embrace and he began walking towards the steps. Jeff looked at him with a questioning look.

"I'm going to go see her." he announced. Jeff knew it was a statement, not a question. Matt and Jeff stood in the kitchen making small talk as Gil headed up to the master bedroom. He walked into the room and found Hazel curled up in the fetal position on the bed. She looked like a small child. Gil sat on the side of the bed and placed his hand onto her shoulder. She wasn't sleeping; rather she was laying with her eyes opened. He offered a small smile and gently called her name. Her eyes focused on him. She pouted as she stared at him.

"Honey, you need to eat something. It's been a few days. Will you please eat something small for me?" he asked softly.

She looked at him and began to sob. Gil was the closest thing she'd ever had to an actual father. Paul Bearer was not a father by any sense of the word. Gil pulled her into a tight hug and tried to soothe her as she sobbed onto his chest. He ran his hand down her hair and held her tightly.

"I know sweetheart. I know." he said softly.

"I'm so sorry. I am so sorry." she sobbed.

"Honey, this isn't your fault. We all know that! No one blames you or anything like that! We are all worried about you." Gil said forcefully. "Jeff, Matt, and I are all extremely worried about you!"

She looked at him and saw the sadness in his eyes. "I know Jeff is destroyed. He wanted to be a father so badly. I let you all down!"

"No, Haze, no! You didn't let anyone down! That animal knew you were pregnant and he attacked you. Considering the history between you all, I don't know if he did it to hurt you or Jeff. He's an animal and once Jeff goes back to work, you know it will be handled."

"I don't know how he knew! That's the thing. Only a few people knew!" Hazel sobbed.

Gil tried to reassure her. "Honey, the fact that he'd hurt you is one thing, but to know you're pregnant and attack you in such a vicious way is unforgivable."

Hazel nodded her head.

"Please Honey, please come downstairs and eat something. Jeff is falling apart because he doesn't know how to soothe your pain. You both are hurting so badly right now and you both need each other."

Hazel nodded her head slowly. Gil gave her a smile as she rose from bed and gathered clothes. "I want to take a quick shower."

Gil kissed her cheek and nodded his head. "What do you want to eat? I'll have Matt run out."

Jeff and Matt were in the kitchen talking about Jeff's return to work. "You do realize that I'm going to get fired for killing that piece of shit."

"I would too, given the circumstances." Matt nodded.

Upstairs the shower turned on and Jeff felt a sigh of relief. A short time later, Gil came downstairs holding Hazel's hand. She went to Jeff's side and hugged him tightly. "I'm sorry." she sobbed.

"Shhh babe you have no reason to be sorry." Jeff said holding her tightly.

"I'm sorry I haven't been here for you." she cried. "I know this didn't just affect me. It affected you all." she looked at Matt and Gil. "I just feel like I let everyone down. I wasn't strong enough to protect Bitty."

Jeff held her tightly as she spoke. "Matt and I are going to drive together tomorrow afternoon to the show. I'll be home after the show though. Probably in the early morning hours, but I'll be back."

Hazel looked at him. "You and Matt?"

Jeff nodded. "The show's in Charlotte."

Hazel bit her lip. "What about me?"

Gil touched her shoulder. "I'm going to stay here with you until Jeff gets back. We can watch movies or whatever you want." he smiled reassuringly.

Matt and Jeff exchanged looks.

"What about me? Am I fired or something?!" she snapped.

"No, of course not!" Jeff said firmly.

"Then why aren't I driving with you and going to the show?" she asked angerly.

Jeff bit his lip. "Haze, you need to rest. You're going through a lot right now. You're body needs to heal, and you aren't ready to face everyone."

She glared at him. "I'm fine! I'm GREAT!" she yelled as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Gil stepped towards her. "Sweetheart, please don't get yourself upset. It's my fault. I told the boys that they should drive up and I'd stay here to keep you company. If you'd like, we can all go."

Her stare softened as Gil spoke. She nodded her head.

"Honestly, sweetheart, I didn't think you should put yourself through unnecessary stress. Seeing that monster could bring up a lot of pain for you." Gil continued. "But if you want to go to the show, we can all drive up tomorrow."

Hazel slowly nodded her head. She looked at the three Hardys. "I need to face it. I can't move on if I don't..."

"Since you're dressed, would you like to go get something to eat? Anywhere you'd like?"

Hazel nodded her head slowly.

Jeff was so thankful for his father. He'd managed in a few short hours to get Hazel out of bed and could talk to her like no one else. He could reach Hazel in a way that no one else could. Hazel looked calm for the first time in days. Gil had managed to get her out of bed, talking, and eating. She even laughed at a joke. Matt gave his brother a pat on the shoulder.

"She'll be right as rain in a bit. Just give her time." he said softly.

After Matt and Gil left, Jeff and Hazel began packing for the next day's road trip. Jeff placed both of their duffel bags on the bed and began grabbing clothes from his dresser and closet. Hazel sat on the bed watching him as he grabbed his face paints and ring gear. He noticed her watching him. "Are you ok?"

She nodded her head. "I am sorry." she whispered.

He gazed at her.

"I shouldn't have shut you out. It was our loss, not just mine. I'm sorry, Jeff." she said as she crawled across the bed towards him. He slid the duffel bag out of her way as she pulled him into a hug. "I love you. I'm sorry that you won't be a father like you wanted."

He cautiously placed his hand onto her belly. He felt her body stiffen beneath his touch. He quickly pulled his hand away. "I'm sorry." he apologized nervously.

"It's ok. It doesn't hurt anymore. I just feel empty inside now." she said sadly as she sat on the bed and looked at him.

"Haze, we can always try again. Whenever you're ready." he said slowly sitting next to her. She was fidgeting with her fingers. She looked at him sadly.

"Can you please just hold me tonight? I need you to hold me." she said as she started to cry.

"Of course." he said as he smiled softly at her.

Jeff moved the bags onto the floor and took off his jeans and tee shirt. He crawled onto the bed in his boxers and laid down. She took off her jeans and pulled her hair into a ponytail. She laid next to him in her boyshorts and a cami. She rested her head on his chest and traced his tattoo sleeve with her finger tip. He ran his hand up and down her back softly. She could hear his heart beating. She began to cry onto his chest. She was so in love with him and she had failed him. She wasn't strong enough to protect their baby from Edge's spear. She had taken his dream from him as quickly as it had been a reality. Jeff felt the tears on his bare skin and his hold on her tightened. She wrapped her arm around his waist and pulled his body tightly towards her own. He didn't know what to do or say besides to hold onto her. He felt useless and powerless. Once again, Edge had destroyed Hazel for no reason but pure evilness. Jeff hadn't even thought about what he would say or do when he saw Edge face to face. Edge had stolen everything from him. Every hope and dream he'd had since Hazel announced their expectant status was now gone. Gone in an instant because of one man. Jeff felt the tears brewing in his eyes. Hazel was his everything and she was hurting so badly that it was killing him. Hazel heard the change in his breathing and her head shot up instantly. Her eyes connected with his and she saw the pain in his eyes. She placed her hands on both sides of his face and stared into his eyes. There was so much pain between both of them because of their shared loss. She placed his hand onto her bare stomach and softly kissed his lips. "I love you, Hardy. I know we will get through this eventually. I just want this sadness to go away."

He nodded his head in agreement.

She curled up on the bed facing away from him and pulled his arm around her. As they laid there, he placed his hands on her belly like he had every night since she told him she was pregnant. She backed her body against his and entangled her fingers in his. He laid his head on top of hers and kissed her neck. His grasp on her tightened as they slowly fell asleep.

The next day, Matt and Gil met them at Jeff's house in the late morning. Hazel seemed to be more of herself than she'd been in days. She threw her bag into the trunk and jumped into the back seat of Matt's SUV. Matt looked at Jeff oddly. "She seems much better."

Jeff nodded his head. Matt looked at him questioningly. "Anything happen last night?"

Jeff looked at his older brother with disgust. "We cuddled and went to bed."

Matt smirked.

"You're disgusting to even insinuate that."

Gil looked at his sons. "Matthew, somethings are none of anyone's business." he then turned to his younger son. "Remember it can take time. Don't push her with certain aspects."

Matt laughed as Jeff looked appalled. "Let's get out of here!" he said quickly changing the subject and jumped into the backseat with Hazel.

Lita was waiting in the parking lot when they arrived. She hugged Hazel tightly once she was out of the car. "I've missed you so much! I'm glad you're feeling better!" she turned to Gil. "Hey!" she exclaimed hugging him. Matt smiled at her as they kissed. Lita wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. Since the miscarriage, Lita and Matt had worked on their relationship and seemed to be on the same page once again. Jeff took Hazel's bag from her and grabbed his own before grabbing her hand as they walked into the arena. Hazel felt suddenly overcome with anxiety as superstars began flocking towards them. She tried to greet everyone without crying. Everyone who hugged her expressed their condolences. Jeff saw the uncertainty in her eyes and gentle pushed her through the crowd of concerned friends. Matt, Lita, and Gil followed behind them as they walked into the locker room. Gil looked at Hazel.

"Are you ok?" he asked softly.

She nodded her head. "It was to be expected."

Gil and Hazel sat on the couch as Matt and Jeff went to the trainer center to check in. Lita came back from the gym and looked at Hazel. "Hey, Vince wants to talk to you."

Hazel nodded her head as she slowly rose to her feet. Gil smiled at her. "I'll let Jeff know where you went, Sweetheart."

She pulled her black hoodie on over her cami as she walked towards the door. She lifted the hood as she walked out into the hallway. She didn't feel like being bombarded by anyone on the way to see Vince. She walked slowly down the hallway towards the office. She heard a familiar laugh and her blood ran cold like ice water through her veins. She turned and saw Edge and Christian standing off to the side of the gym. She stopped dead and glared at them. Christian saw her and quickly tried to stop her from coming towards them. It was too late. A fuse had been lit. Edge saw her and avoided her eyes. She walked over towards them and glared at him. Christian was telling Edge to leave the area and was trying to redirect Hazel from any interaction with Edge. It was too late.

"You are a monster! I hate you!" She screamed. "I wish I never met you!"

Edge looked at her and smirked. "I did you a FAVOR! Hardy is a failure and your kid would have been a failure too!" he spat at her.

She lunged at him but Christian caught her as best as he could. Hazel was determined to get her hands on Edge. Without thinking about Christian being her friend, she kneed him in the groin and charged towards Edge once Christian was down. She grabbed two fist -fulls of the long blonde hair belonging to Edge. Christian was to his feet and knew that only Jeff could control Hazel at this point. He went off running to find Jeff. Edge pushed Hazel away from him and laughed at how weak she was. She panted with rage as she looked around her. She saw a bat and grabbed it. Edge laughed as she neared him with the weapon.

"What are you going to do? No matter what you do, it's not going to bring back your dead baby!" he laughed in her face.

His words made her see red.

"Jeff! Jeff!" Christian screamed running through the hallway.

Matt and Jeff ran out into the hallway hearing Christian's desparate screamed. Christian saw them and began screaming. "I can't stop her! Come quick!"

They had no clue what was going on but had put enough together that they both took off running. Lita and Gil also went running behind them.

"Hazel! Hazel!" Jeff screamed as he rounded the corner. He saw her standing over Edge holding a baseball bat. "Shit!" he screamed as he grabbed the bat from her. She was glaring at Edge as Jeff took the bloody bat from her hands and handed it to Matt.

Edge was on the ground cursing at her. He wiped the blood from his lip and nose. Jeff pulled Hazel into a tight embrace as he backed her away from Edge. Matt laughed as Christian helped Edge to his feet.

"I did you a FAVOR, Hazel! That kid was going to be a fucking disappointment just like you and your hick fiancée!" Edge screamed.

Christian looked at him in shock. "Why would you ever say something like that?!"

Edge wiped the blood and glared at both Jeff and Hazel. "One less disappointment in the world. You should be thanking me!"

Jeff had heard enough. He pushed Hazel into his father's arms as he charged passed Matt, he grabbed the bat. Before Matt could stop him, Jeff connected the bat with all his might into Edge's mouth. Blood spewed from his mouth and 3 pieces of teeth went flying into the air

"You need to shut your fucking mouth!" Jeff screamed as he threw the bat onto the ground.


	23. Chapter 23

Hazel was struggling to escape Gil's tight, fatherly grasp he had on her. She watched as Jeff swung the bat and connected with Edge's mouth. Blood and teeth fragments flew into the air. Gil's grasp on her was tight but she continued to fight against it. Matt was watching in shock as Jeff turned around and handed him the bloody bat. Jeff walked towards Hazel and Gil released her. She ran into his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly. Jeff looked at Gil and saw the confused look in his father's eyes. He wasn't sure if his father was proud or appalled by his actions. He honestly didn't care at this exact moment. He held Hazel tightly as she sobbed into his chest. Matt, still holding the bat, walked towards his brother. Edge was holding his mouth as blood poured out rapidly. He looked at the group and spit a mouthful of blood onto the ground.

"I did you a favor, Hazel! You know I did you the biggest favor in the world. You didn't want to leave, you didn't want to retire! You were looking for a way to get rid of the little bastard and you KNOW it!" Edge screamed at her.

She lifted her head from Jeff's chest and looked at him with tear filled eyes. "I hate you! You have taken EVERYTHING from me!"

"You keep talking and you will need to eat your meals through a straw!" Jeff screamed lunging for the bat once again.

Edge smiled sadistically as Jeff. "You know you are relived most of all. You didn't want that kid! You don't even love Hazel! You think she's holding you back and her being pregnant would have it so you were stuck with her! And a brat! Are you even sure it was yours?"

Hazel listened to her ex and rage filled her. She broke away from Jeff and charged Edge. She slapped him and shoved him back against the wall. "I hate you! You know NOTHING about Jeff and I! You took everything from us!" she screamed as she wrapped her hands around his throat and began squeezing tightly. Edge shoved her off of him with minimal effort and laughed at her weakness. Matt and Jeff caught Hazel before she fell backwards from the force of Edge's push. Jeff began punching Edge over and over in the head and face. Matt steadied Hazel and quickly grabbed his brother by the waist and lifted him off of Edge as he kicked and swung his arms wildly. Gil pulled Hazel into a hug as she sobbed. Jeff was screaming at Edge, who rose to his feet and wiped the blood from his mouth. He smiled at them.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Vince screamed as he rushed onto the scene. "Hazel? What in the world is going on?!"

"They attacked me! I want them both punished!" Edge screamed pointing at Hazel and Jeff.

Vince looked at Edge, then at Jeff and Hazel. He walked towards Hazel and extended his arms to her and hugged her. "Hazel, honey, how are you?"

"Are you kidding me?!" Edge began screaming. "They attacked me and you are hugging her? LOOK at my face!"

Vince turned and narrowed his eyes in Edge's direction. "Considering the circumstances, I think you look pretty good. Better than I expected."

Edge huffed and threw his hands up in frustration as he stormed away. Vince looked at Hazel and gave her a fatherly hug. "You know, there's no rush to come back. You take all the time you need, Darling."

Hazel nodded her head. "I know. I'd rather be working, helps keep my mind off other things."

Vince nodded his head and gave Jeff a slight pat on the back. Vince pointed to the bat and had one of the officials take it from Matt. He pinched the bridge of his nose and thought for a moment.

"Hazel, come see me. We need to talk." he spoke firmly.

"I know, I was on my way to see you when I was interrupted." she said softly.

Vince extended his arm to Hazel. "Come along dear." He turned to Matt and Jeff. "I won't keep her long."

Jeff gave Hazel a quick kiss on the forehead before Vince led her away. Back in their locker room, Jeff was brewing. Matt looked at Jeff and their father and began to speak. "I know Edge loves to push buttons, especially when it comes to Hazel but is there any truth to it? Any of it?"

Jeff looked appalled. "What in the hell do you mean by that?!"

Matt sensed the tension. "Dude, I've heard Edge on the phone with someone a few times. Talking about making a choice. Either him or someone else. Edge knew about the baby. Edge said about the baby not being yours and you saw how she went off..."

Jeff raised his hand in his brother's face. "Are you seriously asking me what I think you're asking?!"

Gil watched the uneasiness of the situation between his sons.

"Hazel even said that Edge knew about the baby and she didn't know how! They have history and do you really think Hazel was ready to retire? Maybe she was happy about having a baby but maybe she wasn't ready to give up her career! Maybe the miscarriage wasn't as horrible for her as she made us all believe!" Matt yelled.

Gil looked at Matt and shook his head. "You need to think about what you are saying before you can't take it back, Matthew!"

Jeff was ready to erupt.

"Think about it Jeff! Think about all those times we've found them together..."

Jeff pinched the bridge of his nose and looked at his older brother. "I KNOW Hazel! I know that she was carrying my child! How dare you!"

Hazel burst threw the locker room door and saw the 3 men. "Where is she?!" she demanded.

"Who?" Gil asked.

"Lita!" she screamed through gritted teeth.

Matt and Jeff looked at her with confusion. "Lita? Why?"

"Where IS SHE?!" she screamed as she dumped Lita's duffel bag onto the ground the began rummaging through the clothes.

"What are you doing?" Matt screamed as he shoved her backwards. Jeff caught her and lunged for his brother. "Keep your hands off of her!"

"Hazel, what happened with Vince?" Gil asked softly.

She was so angry she could feel the rage boiling. The door opened and Lita walked through the locker room and noticed the tension. Hazel without notice attacked her best friend roughly and knocked her to the ground.

"Hey! Hazel! What the hell!" Lita screamed trying to defend herself.

Jeff wrapped his arms around her waist and pried her to off of Lita with all his might. Matt was attempting to aide Lita to her feet.

"Crazy bitch!" Lita screamed at Hazel.

"Lying whore!" Hazel spat in her face.

Lita pushed free from Matt and charged into Hazel's face. "Excuse me?!"

Jeff stood between the girls and was completely lost about what this was about.

"YOU LIED!" Hazel screamed. "You told me Vince needed to see me! You told me when we just got here! Gil heard it!"

Matt and Jeff looked at their dad, who nodded his head.

"Well after that nonsense with EDGE, Vince took me to the office... HE HAD NO CLUE I WAS HERE! So Bestie, why would you tell me he wanted to see me?"

Jeff and Matt looked at each other then at Lita. Hazel looked at her with rage in her eyes. "He had NO clue I was here, but you sent me out there and who was out there waiting to twist the knife in me? OH EDGE! You set me up!" she screamed.

The embarrassment filled her face. "Haz, I didn't know he was out there!"

"BUT you LIED about Vince needing me!" Hazel screamed. "You are always on your phone and I know why!" she threw Lita's cell phone to Matt. "She's been talking to Edge! SHE told him I was pregnant! She told him I was back! She is cheating on you, Matt!" Hazel screamed.

Lita threw her arms in the air and laughed. "Edge and I are friends! What are you jealous I talk to your man?"

"Wait! You talk to Edge?" Matt questioned.

"She is ALWAYS talking to him!" Hazel screamed. "You told him I was pregnant too didn't you? You heartless snake!"

Jeff put his arms on her shoulders trying to calm her.

"No, Lee, tell her it isn't true!" Matt screamed. "We've reconnected since Edge attacked you, Hazel! She's your best friend and she was hurting that you were hurting!"

Hazel laughed. "No, she was hurting because she felt guilty about Edge murdering our child that SHE told him about!"

"You're crazy, Hazey. You need to go home and rest." Lita said laughing.

Hazel broke away from Jeff and attacked Lita once more. "You are a lying, cheating BITCH!"

Jeff picked Hazel up from Lita and carried her from the room.


	24. Chapter 24

**Jeff ran his hands through his multiple colored hair as he started at Hazel, Lita, and Matt. Hazel's revelation was shocking, but why would she lie? The grief of losing their child? The painful words Edge had spoken? Why would she accuse her best friend of being a liar and a cheater? Hazel started at him, rage was on her face. Tears slid down her face.**

 **"She ADMITTED she talks to him!" Hazel screamed lunging for Lita again.**

 **Lita instinctively hid behind Matt. Hazel looked at Jeff. "Well?"**

 **"I don't know he knew Haze, I don't know!" he screamed.**

 **She screamed in frustration as she stormed away from her group. Gil followed her quickly and Jeff was left with his brother and Lita.**

 **"She needs some meds! She's insane!" Lita screamed.**

 **"Stop! She has a point! Only a few people knew about the baby and you are always on your phone!"**

 **"Oh!" Lita screamed. "So that's a crime?!"**

 **"You were talking to Edge though? Really Lita?" Matt yelled.**

 **"He's a nice guy! Hazel didn't know how to treat him and she's jealous he doesn't bother with her anymore."**

 **Jeff smirked. "He just DID!"**

 **Lita shrugged her shoulders. "She needs meds to deal wit her insecurities for not being able to carry that kid!" she spat.**

 **"HEY!" Jeff and Matt screamed in unision.**

 **Lita shrugged her shoulders. "Can't deny the truth."**

 **It had been hours since anyone had seen Hazel. Jeff was giving her time to chill out before he approached her once again. Lita was in the**

 **weigh room with other superstars as the brothers stat in their locker room.**

 **"What should we do?" Matt asked.**

 **"Edge knew about the pregnancy. I told you about his multiple phone calls to someone... can you really trust Hazel?"**

 **Jeff looked appalled. "Of course I can! You saw how she mourned for that child! If she wanted it gone, it wouldn't have taken her a week to go out of bed!"**

 **Hazel stood on the roof top and looked at the skyline. She was so angry she shouldn't breathe. She felt someone behind her and turned hoping to see Jeff. Instead it was Edge.**

 **"They all turned on you like I said." he said laughing.**

 **She narrowed her eyes at him. "You've taken everything from me. Please just left me have my piece of mind."**

 **Edge laughed. "Loss has made me you cold."**

 **He neared her and touched the nape of her neck. "Jeff doesn't want you if you can't give him a child."**

 **She slapped his hand away. "Get away!"**

 **Edge looked over the ledge. "It's not that far. Why not jump and get it over with. No one will miss you."**

 **Hazel shoved passed him and entered the arena. She walked passed the Hardyz locker room and ended Kane and Takers. Her brothers looked at her oddly as she flopped on the couch.**

 **"I want Lita punished for the lying whore she is..." she said soft, yet forcefully as she laid on the couch.**

 **Kane looked at his sister. "Lita is your best friend... what are you talking about?"**

 **Hazel looked at her brothers, her brown hair strung over her eyes. "She told Edge I was pregnant and we all know how that ended..."**

 **Kane sighed. "Maybe it's best for forget the child right now. It wasn't the right time."**

 **His words sparked an anger in her she'd never felt before. "Forget?! Forget?!""**

 **"Calm down, Hazel!" Taker boomed.**

 **She pointed at them both. "You both are assholes! How do I know that you didn't tell him?!" she screamed as she bolted through the door.**

 **Taker and Kane shrugged and continued getting ready for their match. "Sisters..." they said in unison.**

 **Hazel knew that the boys were at the gym, Lita was probably with Edge so she knew she'd have the locker room to herself. She entered slowly and locked the door behind her.**

 **'Forget the baby.' 'Forget everything' her voice echoed. She laughed as she pulled Jeff's duffle bag, it was no secret that the ma was a one man pharmacy considering all the bumps and hits his body had suffered over the years. She never once spoke about his addiction or dependency to anyone, not even Matt or Gil. She opened his duffle and began grabbing pill bottles after pill bottles. She read the labels and quickly cross checked the name into her cell phone. She laughed as she looked at all the muscle relaxers, pain killers, nerve killers, and mood stabilizers. Something here would make her forget the baby for sure. She grabbed a few bottles and opened them, dumping the contains into her hands. Before she'd realized it, she'd taken multiple pills from multiple bottles. She laughed as she slowly threw all the bottles back into his duffle and prepared for her match. She pinned her curly hair into a messy bun, applied her darker than usual dark eye makeup and pulled on a black cami with the Hardy signature fish net half shift. She pulled her tightest black jean on and followed up wit her silver belt. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and laughed as the pills began to take effect.**

 **She walked out into the hall way and noticed all the attention she was getting. In reality her 'perfect walk' was a slurred supper that almost had he hit the wall multiple times. Rey ray towards her and threw his arm around her.**

 **"Hey Haze, you ok?"**

 **"Never better." she said pushing him off.**

 **"Where's Jeff?"**

 **She shrugged. "I don't know but I have a match."**

 **Rey was confused. "Haze, the show is in hours..."**

 **Her eyes were clouded, blank and all over** **the place. "Then I'm super early!" she crackled. Rey motioned for Christian to find Jeff as he tried to steady Hazel.**

 **Jeff was quickly by her side, holding her. Looking at Rey, demanding answers. "What'd you do to her?!"  
**

 **He screamed screaming seeing she couldn't stand up straight.**

 **"Not me! Essa! I found Mami like this and stopped her before she saw Vince or anyone." Rey said defensively.**

 **Hazel laughed hearing them talk. She looked at Jeff and shook her head. "You think I'm crazy! You think I'm so in my grief that I would blame your best friend for betraying us!" she slurred her words as she tried to focus on him.**

 **Jeff was taken aback. "Hazel, what did you do?!" he screamed shaking her.**

 **She pushed away from him in a feeble attempt but got away non the less. "I did what you told me to do!" she screamed looking around at the bystanders "What you all told me to do!" she smirked and got close to Jeff's face. 'Forget the baby' she mouthed as she laughed evilly.**

 **Matt, Lita, Gil, and others were watching. Jeff tried to pull her into a locker room for some privacy but she wasn't with it.**

 **"I tell you the truth and you believe her!" she screamed attempting to lunge for Lita. "SHE told him about our baby! SHE knows that the only way she could beat me for the Championship was if I was gone!"Hazel laughed. "She can't beat me. She never could. So me leaving was the only way that title would be hers!"**

 **Lita sneered. Matt attempted to quiet his girlfriend.**

 **Rey looked around. "Listen, I'm all for airing the dirty laundry but we can't have Vince see her fucked up!"**

 **Jeff nodded his head. "Baby, please... let's go talk."**

 **Hearing him utter the word baby** **infuriated h** **er. She shoved his grip from her and stumbled into the locker room. Rey, Lita, Matt, and Gil followed. Hazel flopped on the couch and eyed everyone.**

 **"What did you take, Hazel?" Rey asked quickly. She shrugged. "Stuff from his duffle."**

 **Jeff sighed as he looked at her with pain in his eyes. She smiled. "Anything to make me forget the baby." she added with a drunken laugh. Gil sat besides her and she curled up on his laugh like a child. She was soon passed out. Gil stroked her head as she slept.**

 **"I told you it was too soon!" Gil yelled.**

 **Rey and Jeff dumped the duffle and Rey looked at him in awe. "Traveling phrarmacy, Jeff?"**

 **"I have no clue what she took." Jeff said at a loss for words.**

 **"Well you better sober her up!" Lita laughed. "Vince will be looking for her."**

 **"Enough, Matt get her out of her. Find Taker." Jeff ordered.**

 **Rey shook his head. "Who told her to forget the baby? That's heartless." he said as he too left the locker room.**

 **"No one. I told her to drop this Lita telling Edge nonsense." Jeff said softly calling after Rey.**

 **Gil looked at his youngest son and saw the pain on his face. "I know you don't want to believe it, but do you really think Hazel would be cheating on you with Edge? Do you have any doubt that the child was yours?"**

 **He looked at his father with pain in his eyes. "No, not for a moment."**

 **Gil nodded. "Then you need to make sure she knows that when she's coherent enough to understand or you will lose her. Mistrust and disloyalty is a big one with her and you need to know that more than I do. This girl has proven herself over and over to you. If Lita is up to something with Edge, that's your brother's issue. Not yours!"**

 **The door burst open and Kane and Taker stood there. "What'd she take?"  
**

 **"I don't know!" Jeff yelled. "It could have been one thing or a mix of things. I have no clue."**

 **Kane began slapping her cheeks. "Rise and shine Sister."**

 **Taker looked at the bag and shook his head. "You know you are in violation just having those!"**

 **"I KNOW!" Jeff screamed. "Please help Hazel!"**

 **Meanwhile**

 **"Wait, wait, wait, Hazel... my little Hazel is drugged out of her mind?!" Edge laughed as Lita spoke.**

 **"Your little Hazel?" she said raising his eyebrow.**

 **"This is great. I wish I had been there... to see her going all balls on everyone."**

 **Lita shot him a dirty look. "She knows!"**

 **"Any right now she's foaming at the mouth so no on believes her anyway."**

 **"Jeff will believe her, Matt eventually..."**

 **"Then choose..."**

 **"Why'd you spear her? Knowing without the aby she'd stay?"**

 **Edge laughed. "Because you didn't choose."**


	25. Chapter 25

**Luckily for everyone, there was a technical failure at the arena that evening. The event was moved a day later, Taker and others hid Hazel out of the eyesight of Vince and other senior officials. Jeff, Matt, Gil and a few others knew that the power outage at the arena had saved Hazel's career. Matt and Lita shared a room as the norm, giving the circumstances, Jeff shared with Gil so that Kane could keep a close eye on his sister. During the night, Hazel began screaming in her sleep and thrashing around in the bed. Kane went to Undertaker for his opinion on what to do.**

 **"She's sweaty, stripped down, fan on. I gave her water. She's inconsolable."**

 **Taker laughed. "She'll remember this next time she get high." he said rolling over to go back to sleep.**

 **Kane looked at him. "But what about me?"**

 **Taker laughed. "You took watch duty."**

 **"Thanks!" Kane said indigently as he left Taker's room. He paced outside the row of rooms and cautiously knocked on the one door. Quickly the door flew open and there stood Jeff in his pj pants and a beater.**

 **"Is she ok?"**

 **"Nope, come on you." he said as he led Jeff to the room where Hazel was.**

 **"Nothing calms her. Taker says it's withdrawals."**

 **Jeff nodded his head. "It's not. She is a restless sleeper. For as long as I've known her. What do you need to me to do?"**

 **Kane pointed at the bed in frustration. "Something! I'm exhausted!"**

 **Jeff patted Kane's shoulder. "Take my bed. I got this." he said ushering him from the room.**

 **Once Kane was gone, Jeff stripped to his boxers and took off his beater. He climbed into the bed next to her and pulled her close to him. Her arms instantly curled around his neck and she was peaceful. He stroked her hair and apologized to her softly. "I'm sorry Hazel. So sorry." he said kissing her forehead softly.**

 **Her eyes fluttered opened and she stared at him. "I knew it was you. I just thought it was a dream." she said as she clung to his neck. "I'm losing my mind, Jeff. I am. Everyone thinks I'm crazy! I know it doesn't make sense, but I don't trust her! I think she sent me out there knowing Edge was out there!"**

 **"Shhh…"**

 **"No, it's true!" she screamed as she sat up violently from their laying position. "Vince didn't know I was back! Lita TOLD me he was looking for me. Then Edge is out there! And she ADMITTED she talks to him! She told him about our baby!"  
**

 **"Haz, shh.. Listen, please just calm down! I don't know what to believe. If she wanted the Championship why would she want Edge to spear you and KEEP you here? If she's sleeping with Edge, why would she still be with Matt? Why would she do all of this?"**

 **She looked at him with a complete look of disgust. She nodded her head and bit her lip. "So it's easier for you to believe that I'd cheat on you with Edge, and get pregnant by him, then have him spear me to kill the baby so I could keep my little secret?!"**

 **Jeff was frustrated. "What? NO! I never said that!"**

 **Hazel was kneeling on the bed screaming in Jeff's face. Her eyes were wild and her voice was shrieking as she stared at him. "It's either you believe me or you believe THEM! You think that the baby wasn't yours? You seriously think that? WHEN?! WHEN DID I HAVE TIME?! EVERYNIGHT I WAS IN YOUR BED? EVERY MATCH I WAS AT RING SIDE WITH YOU? WHEN JEFF WHEN?!"**

 **The motel door flew open and Matt stood there with Gil. "What in the world is going on?!" Matt yelled.**

 **Hazel was fuming as she jumped up from the bed. "Well?" she screamed at Jeff.  
**

 **He sat there in utter shock. He'd never seen Hazel snap like this before. "I..."**

 **"So who's the liar? Jeff? Hmm? ME or Her?" Hazel continued to scream.**

 **Gil placed his hands onto her shoulders. "Haze. Sweetheart, please calm down. Jeff, out! Matt get him out!"**

 **Jeff looked at his dad with shock. "What?!"**

 **Gil gritted his teeth, "Out, now! Both of you!"**

 **"Hazel, seriously," Jeff yelled as Gil glared at his sons. Hazel sat on the bed and said nothing as Gil ushered them out and slammed the door.**

 **Matt looked at Jeff, "Good job. She probably woke everyone up with her screaming."**

 **Jeff ran his hands through his hair. "Do you think Lita is sleeping with Edge?"**

 **Matt laughed. "No, not my Lee..."**

 **"She admitted that they talk... and when you were gone, she wasn't with Hazel or me really at all... are you SURE there's no truth to it?"**

 **Matt shook his head. "Hazel and Edge have history. We have caught them together a lot and it makes sense that she'd lose her shit after he said it wasn't your kid."**

 **Jeff shook his head. "I know Hazel. She wouldn't do this."**

 **Gil looked sadly at Hazel as she sat on the bed. Her head rested in her hands and her hair cascaded around her face as she sobbed. "I don't know what to do. I lost my baby and now Jeff thinks that it wasn't even his baby! Like how could he think I'd betray him like that?! I don't know what I ever did to deserve this!"**

 **"I don't know what he's SAYING or WHY but Honey, he knew that baby was his! He told me since day one that you were having his baby! It's not fair to you, but the idea of Lita being a liar is hard for him to believe... but he shouldn't put that onto you!"**

 **She looked at him. "You've always been the closest thing to a dad that I've ever had. This past year I actually had a dad. I'll miss it." she said sadly.**

 **Gil looked at her and understood her meaning.**

 **"Can you please go to Jeff's and get my things please? I'll get them from you sometime. I can't go back to the house." she looked at him and sadly smiled as he nodded his head. "I love Jeff more than I can ever say, but the fact that he thinks I could do something so despicable I can't look at him the same."**

 **Gil nodded his head. "Hazel, I know you love my son. So does he. He loves you more than anything. I have seen the person you were since I met you and if my son can't see it, then it's his loss."**

 **"Please, don't say anything to Jeff. I might just need to sleep on it." she said softly.**

 **The next morning, Jeff looked everywhere for Hazel but no one had seen her. Gil sat with Matt and Lita watching Jeff frantically dial her cell phone number. He kept questioning his father about her whereabouts. Gil didn't know, she wasn't in the room that morning when he woke, but her things were there.**

 **"She probably just went to think. Her things are here. The car is here. Just give that poor girl some time to think." Gil said.**

 **"This isn't like her!" Jeff snapped.**

 **Lita laughed. "She's over there with her brothers."**

 **"What?" Jeff spun around and saw her with her siblings. He hung up his phone and quickly walked towards her. Kane nudged his sister as he approached. Hazel looked up at him with a vacant look on her face.**

 **"Haze?" he asked with surprise in his tone.**

 **She didn't even rise to greet him. Kane looked at Jeff then at Hazel. She sighed. "Let's go talk..." she said as she rose towards him.**

 **"Hazel?" Jeff asked with panic in his voice.**

 **She turned to face him. "Jeff, I don't want to fight. Loving you hurts too much. You think I'd betray you with Edge. You think that our baby wasn't yours. I can't be with someone who doesn't know anything about the type of person I am. I do love you. I always will... but I just can't do this anymore." she shrugged. "Sorry."**

 **Jeff was in shock. He felt a sharp pain in his chest as she turned from facing him. He grabbed her wrist. "Haze..."**

 **She turned to look at him and gently pulled her arm from his grasp. Kane was standing watching the interaction but Hazel waved him off. She bit her lip and looked at him with sadness in her eyes. "I'll always love you, Hardy. I promise you that."**

 **He watched as she walked away. He felt like he'd been kicked in the chest. Matt and Gil watched in shock as Jeff ran passed them quickly. Hazel pretended not to notice. Her chest hurt too much to try to hide her feelings.**

 **"Oh shit..." Matt said as he quickly jumped from the table in hot pursuit of his brother. Gil looked at Hazel and nodded with love in his eyes. Kane and Taker looked at her. "You ok?"**

 **She nodded at her brothers. "Yeah, the pain goes away eventually right?"**

 **Kane tried to smile. Hazel lowered her head and tried to conceal the tears in her eyes.**

 **"What happened?" Matt screamed as he followed Jeff.**

 **He turned on his heels and faced his brother. "She dumped me! This is all your fault!"**

 **Matt looked confused. "How's it MY fault?"**

 **Jeff grabbed the bridge of his nose as he lowered himself down into a crouching position. "Because I let you get into my head that something was going on with her and Edge!"**

 **"So she admitted it?!"**

 **Jeff jumped up and lunged at his older brother. "No! She NEVER did anything and I questioned that she did! I KNOW her and I still let myself THINK it for a moment!"**

 **Matt smirked. "Then that's YOUR fault!"**

 **Jeff punched Matt in his chest as he stormed away.**

 **Later that night, Hazel was standing in the ring preparing for her match. She wasn't wearing armbands or any of her normal gear. She didn't walk to the ring with Jeff or come out to the Team Xtreme theme. The crowd was confused but still cheered for her. Before Victoria came to the ring, Jeff came to the ring looking sadder then anyone had ever seen him before. Hazel avoiding looking at him as he climbed into the ring. He walked towards her and threw himself onto his knees at the mat. Hazel felt everyone's eyes on her. Jeff grabbed her by the knees and held her in a hug from his knees. She looked at him.**

 **"Please don't do this!" she screamed trying to free herself from his grip.**

 **"I'm so sorry I ever questioned you, Hazel! I love you! Please!" he begged her.**

 **She freed herself from his embrace and stepped away from him. "No, Jeff, please! I have a match! Please it's over!"**

 **The crowd was booing as she walked away from him. She looked at him. "You don't know what type of person I am to even think I'd cheat on you!"**

 **Jeff looked at her. "I'm sorry Hazel! I made a mistake!"**

 **His display was making her uncomfortable. She looked at him. "You thought OUR baby wasn't YOURS and it hurts too much to know that you think I'd do that to you!" she screamed.**

 **Jeff grabbed her and tried to hug her, but Hazel shoved him away and stood there awkwardly. He walked towards her once more and she kicked him in the midsection and delivered the twist of fate to her ex love. The crowd booed as she left him laying in the ring as she walked up the ramp towards the back.**

 **"I love you always!" Jeff screamed looking at her.**

 **"Goodbye Hardy!" she screamed as tears streamed down her cheeks.**


	26. Chapter 26

Love Vs. Loyalty will be continued in the new story "Forgiven"


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